Founding Love
by Sakeryu
Summary: While fighting the devious Rabbit Goddess, Sakura is swept into a portal taking her to a time she has no business being in. Under false pretenses, she shifts the time outline and now has to face the consequences. Consequences which leave her at the mercy of the infamous Madara Uchiha and the other Konoha founders.
1. Chapter 1

**Founding Love**

**Chapter One**

Madara was not a man most people could easily like. Sakura didn't think so.

He was too overbearing and constantly trying to prove how much better he was at _any_ and _everything_. She found him always hovering over her shoulder quickly telling her exactly what seals she was doing wrong, but never how to fix them. She had been working on honing her fire skills one time, and when she struggled to actually start the damn fire, he huffed at her pronouncing she was a failed woodsman and she'd never survive without his esteemed presence. That time she nearly chucked the damned wood at his head.

He was condescending when he thought he knew the most _obvious _answer to any problem, and he could be quite rude. Often times, he was looking down his nose with those dark eyes of his and commenting on how ill prepared or misinformed she was. One time at a formal dinner with the other founding clan heads, she had the misfortune of cross her legs beside her, not under her, at the table and he had remarked how "unladylike" she was. Of course that started a whole debate amongst the clansmen on if women were suited the sit in on those meetings. Hashirama ultimately saved her from cracking the table in two with her fists, but nonetheless the damage was done to her ego.

To top it off, Madara hated being proven wrong especially when in combat with what he presumed was the weaker sex. When she had punched a crater in the ground the size of a football field, he had openly balked at her. He lost that fight that day, but it was the only one she had managed to scrape by where her hair wasn't singed and her fingers weren't broken and bruised. He never let her win after that.

Sakura snickered.

Madara was not easy to like at all.

Sakura sat back on the porch and took a deep breath in of the woods before her. Madara had moved the clan to the outskirts of the village two months ago, and by default as his own declared prisoner of war she was stuck alongside him. He even moved his own home on the furthest edge of the clan property. Begrudgingly, Sakura wasn't one to complain since that meant she had more private time with him, but she presumed it was so others wouldn't hear them in their fiascos.

A shudder crawled up her spine. His version of private time was definitely a pleasurable experience excluding for the first year or so of their interactions. Madara had a way of making up for all his wrongdoings though, mind you he had quite a lot to make up for, and for once she was extremely happy being on the receiving end of all the attention. Madara wasn't very giving otherwise, and Sakura would take advantage of that fact often.

Sakura leaned back on her hands, and focused on the dark night sky. The stars shining bright, and her heart fluttered thinking back on her arrival. It wasn't what she expected, but there was absolutely no way she was giving it up now.

—-

The fight with Kaguya had been raging on for hours. The Rabbit Goddess had an unsurpassed amount of chakra, and Team Seven was struggling. Sakura felt her hair whip around her face, and she fought the urge to push it back. Sakura's eyes darted from the Rabbit Goddess' sharp features to her wounded and bloodied teammates. Naruto was spouting a deep gash along his forearm and his face was badly bruised. Sasuke's breathing was extremely labored due to the hole in his abdomen, and he clutched it tightly. Sakura had lost sight of Kakashi awhile ago, but she had summoned Katsuyu to transport him to safety. She couldn't risk her unconscious sensei falling victim to the Goddess' relentless attacks.

Sakura grunted as her shaking body began to crumple to the ground. Chakra exhaustion was stemming across her system, and her body was finally succumbing to the harsh beating it had been taking.

"Sakura-chan!"

She turned her head to Naruto's direction, and saw his concern across his tight face. She grit her teeth, closed her eyes and called forth the last of her reserves to open the connection to her Strength of a Hundred Seal. Her teeth chattered as the black markings stretched across her forehead down her face and beneath her green jonin vest. The rush was short lived when she heard a piercing scream and her eyes sprung open.

Kaguya had turned to her with an intense red gaze and was shooting a projectile with lightning speed at her. Sakura barely had time to react as Sasuke launched himself in front of the projectile, the sharp tip piercing through his chest with a curdling tear. Her stomach lurched as he spit out blood, the spots splattering against her cheeks.

"Sasuke-kun!" She cried from her knees, eyes widening.

He smiled and slowly leaned forward to poke the center of her forehead with his index finger. Sakura heavied and felt her eyes prick with tears, and he gurgled before slumping entirely to the ground before her. She scraped along the ground to him, and she panted unable to catch her breath. Her hands shook as she tried to shake him.

"Sasuke, please, Sasuke!" She grabbed the sides of his face and gripped the edges of his hair behind his ears. His charcoal eyes were slowly dimming, but his smile stayed put.

"S-Sakura.." he whispered, blood dribbling down the edges of his lips.

Sakura cried out and shook him harder. Heat spread across her chest and she shook him harder to keep him from drifting from her, but she felt helpless when she could barely draw her chakra to her fingers. The green flow too unsteady to hold and mend the wound. She lifted her tear stained face at the Rabbit Goddess who was then facing off an angry Naruto.

His chakra was fiery red laced from the Nine-Tails, his eyes narrow slits, and his fingernails long and sharpened into claws. She let her hands fall away from the last Uchiha to clench into tight fists at her side. Using her waning willpower, she stood and pushed power into her thighs to spring herself at the backside of Kaguya.

Sakura cocked back her fist and with a roar she aimed at the white head of the Goddess, but to her sudden surprise the red eyed Princess spun around having thrown off the Nine-Tails host. Her fingers split open a swirling portal with blue skies and lush green woods, and Sakura was sucked forth with a ferocious force leaving her ears ringing and her stomach twisting in knots.

"Naruto!" She called slipping into the portal and falling forward.

Sakura whirled herself around and watched as she fell further away from the portal. She could see Naruto behind the smirking Kaguya with what she called utter terror, his hand reaching for her, but the portal zipping closed to leave an empty sky.

Sakura reached her own hand out, but continued to let herself fall too shocked to realize her decent coming so soon. Her legs stretched before her, and her arms felt lifeless trying to grasp at clouds. Sakura could hardly breathe as the wind whipped around her, and she croaked at a sudden crack along her spin. Her body crashed through the tree limbs, and her back curled around a rather thick branch as it gave way beneath her weight.

Her body ached and sharp pains scratched at her arms and legs, as her rag doll body fell through the leaves. She twisted around trying to grab at anything she could, but her nails were too blunt to hold, and her bloodied hands too slick to grasp the branches. She hit the ground hard, and rolled to her side with a harsh gasp of anguish.

Sakura coughed, her whole body jerking with the movement, and she held back the scream tearing at her throat. Her eyes squeezed tight and hot tears seeped past her lids down her cheeks. She choked down a cry, but wheezed behind clenched teeth. Sasuke's smiling face flashed in her mind, and she hissed with a broken sob. The feel of his cooling skin beneath her fingers embedded in her memory.

The moment was short lived when in the edges of her senses she felt a familiar intense chakra signature. In a panic, she crawled to her knees and forced herself to stand. The weight of the signature immediately had her hissing aloud.

"I'm coming for you, Kaguya!"

Sakura pushed her legs to weave through the trees, her hands flying to her vest to open it a bit to cool her overheating chest. She reached in finding her pockets empty of weapons having used them all with the earlier against the devilish woman. She cursed her luck, crouched her body lower in her stance to run faster. She dipped in and out of the woods, and she could suddenly feel several chakra signatures moving along her senses.

Good, she thought, there were finally reinforcements.

Sakura sprang forward as she came closer, the sounds of battle closing in on her ears. Metal rang with sharp pings and she could hear several muffled voices shouting ahead of her.

I'm so close, she thought pushing harder.

The tree line was visibly thinning and she jumped high bringing her fist back. Her black lined hand drew back and she shoved her chakra into it, aiming in the direction of the familiar chakra.

"Shannaro!"

Sakura didn't recognize the faces of the men before her clad in armor, but that didn't stop her from raining her arm against the ground. Her eyes zeroed in on a strangely familiar face, his crimson eyes widening before narrowing in on her. He shifted backwards away from his equally surprised opponent. With the impact of her chakra laced hand, the ground quaked and split deep. Jagged rocks flew up and the earth decimated under her fingers. Shouting stopped, and the sounds of battle ended abruptly.

"Get back here, you bastard!" Sakura jumped at the black haired foe, her fingers still tight.

The man stood firm in his stance, before swinging his orange-brown gunbai at her. She hit it away with a swat, the chain link clinking as he pulled it back to him. Anger blossomed in her chest, and she blindly pursued him. Soon they were darting around each other, the other opponent being disregarded entirely. She charged, but his speed and agility kept him a safe distance from her hands. She growled out wildly swinging her arms. She hit the ground again with her hand, and it shook and groaned without giving in. She felt his heavy eyes on her, and she roared ferociously again kicking up dirt behind her.

The masses of shinobi around them parted like the sea, and she pushed herself up from her crouched position. She dipped out of the way of several kunai and she twisted into a roll before springing back up onto her feet with a huff. The air tight in her throat.

Sakura felt her chakra from her seal waning, and her left leg gave beneath her. In that instant, the black haired man clad in red armor sprang upon her, and she grunted bringing up her forearm to block his onslaught. His kunai ripped through the material of her black long sleeve shirt, and she gritted her teeth. His assault didn't stop there with a sharp jerk, he shifted to bring down another swipe. Her hand closed around the sharp blade, and pain shot down her good arm.

She pushed upwards with her hand and they wrestled with brutish strength. Her seal was nearing empty, and she felt the chakra slowly settling in the pit of her stomach like a weight. She growled and glared up under her pink bangs at the swirling Tomoes. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pressed downward in a frown.

Sakura was unable to stop him from jerking her toward him, her bloodied knees sliding sickeningly along the rock, and his free hand enclosed around her throat. She felt his grip tightened, and she dipped her head back to stare boldly at her assailant.

They were frozen in time, the sounds of battle long forgotten as they sized each other up. Sakura felt her limbs going slack and cold. Blood was flowing freely from wounds, her clothes clinging heavy and sticky to her skin. The air brought smoke into her nostrils, and she could smell the charring of skin. Her grip loosened on the kunai and the force behind the weapon eased though not along the column of her throat.

"Come quick! It's Izuna-sama!"

The man's head flicked quickly in the direction of the new voice, and he released her throat. She gulped in a rush of air, her lungs aching, and she flinched as his hand found purchase in her short locks. She screeched indignantly, and pulled herself to keep up with his quick pace without ripping out her scalp. She clenched her slick fingers around the thickness of his wrist, but couldn't hold onto him.

She felt her body suddenly falling forward, and she held her arms in front of her to stop from crashing face first into the ground. Sakura whipped her head up into the gleaming brown eyes of another wickedly familiar face, one that had adorned the side of her precious city wall. Her head wasn't wrapping around the tan skin and pin straight hair, and she openly gaped at the concerned man.

"I'm sorry, Madara. I can't save him."

The quietness of the surrounding people had her on edge, and her mind clicked into medic mode. Her emerald eyes glanced around briefly before falling to another light skinned man with black hair laid on the ground in front of them. Her jaw slackened and her heart skipped several beats.

"Sasuke," She whispered, heart painfully clenching.

Sakura felt her heart shudder at his pale features, blood had pooled from his abdomen to the ground around him, and his bangs were slick with sweat along his forehead. She crawled to him with a broken sob, tears clouding her vision. Her hands reached to grab at his face, his eyes closed, and lips stained red with blood.

Before she could touch his skin, another set of hands halted hers. She glared up into the crimson eyes, her jaw snapping shut. She bared her teeth like an animal at him, and leaned toward him. Her breathe spanned across his cheeks, and she could feel the burning inferno of the man.

"I'll save him." Sakura ground out closing her eyes to focus on the remainder of her chakra.

Sakura forced the chakra to her hands, and it burned her chakra paths from her forehead down to her raw fingers. She ripped her hands away from the dangerous man with a huff, and put her fingers into the abdominal wound, his body cold. She froze as the hands of her enemy enclosed hers again.

"I'll kill you if you don't." The deep baritone of his voice irritated her and sent a shiver down her spine.

She gritted her teeth and snapped again at him, "I said I'll save him, damn it!"

Sakura fought the urge to use the last of her strength to hit the imbecile, but turned her tears eyes to the dying man under her hands.

"Sasuke, it's going to be ok." She mumbled with a small smile, tears dripping down her cheeks while she etched the defined edges of his face into her mind.

With a grunt, she closed her eyes and forced her chakra to burn along her fingers to mend the dying tissue. The wound was extensive and she probed to revive the burnt edges of his nerves. She regrew the tissue with a muscle memory alone, and she visualized the anatomy to direct her healing. Sakura shuddered as her chakra began to sputter, having been fully spent. Sakura clucked her tongue against the back of her teeth trying to recall how Chiyo pulled her life force to save her. Sakura moaned in the back of her throat as she dug deeper in her chest to pull the blue string forth. Heat spread around her worn body, and Sakura took small gulps of air through parted lips to calm the anxiety churning her stomach.

Sakura felt her heartbeat slow and each pound reverberated in her head, but she breathed in relief when she felt his heart twitch to life. Gasps filled her ears, and the hands on her wrists dropped in disbelief. The blood began to pump quickly in his new veins, and she felt her shoulders drop. Her fingers scanned up the side of his body to hold his face. She hiccuped in relief as his body began to warm again, and she opened her eyes to confirm it.

Unfortunately for her, the eyes that now were peering at her were not of her beloved Sasuke. And she felt her body slacken into unconsciousness.

A.N: I know I have a lot of projects currently, but I figured I'd start another one for the hell of it. The idea of time travel has definitely grown on me, and the idea of Sakura finding herself in the hands of our Founders is too charming to pass up. I hope you all enjoy it, and I look forward to developing their relationship(s). The first part of the segment is what I'd call the "present", and everything after the line separation is Sakura recalling/reliving her adventure thus far which is primarily what the story is to cover.

Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Founding Love**

**Chapter Two**

Consciousness wasn't a soft awareness tapping at the edges of your vision or the darkness of night. It wasn't a slow progression to where your limbs were prickling with lightness and the fabric of your clothes brushing against your body. It was a cold, sudden burst of energy plunging through your veins which caused your heart to stammer in your chest and your eyes to bulge open.

That's what Sakura was feeling now.

She was cold and sudden surrounded by intense pressure. Her limbs were slick and her hair floating around her, and she felt wet. When she opened her mouth to gasp, water flooded her mouth and she swallowed down a massive amount causing her lungs to burn with the urge to cough. Her eyes shot open and she could only see grains of sand and dirt kicking up with her fight. Her arms were pinned back, a hand digging harshly into her wrists, and her head was being pushed further down closer to the dirt. Fish were zipping past her vision and she thrashed uncomfortably in a panic to bring herself back up before she drowned.

She fought for several minutes, her spine aching at the position, and she could feel her lungs squeezing tight. Her eyes, still bulging, were beginning to burn as well, and she felt the pricks of tears at the edges of her eyes. She swung her head around and tried to shift her shoulders to and fro. Her legs had massive weight on them, holding her down as she kicked furiously. She fought as hard as she could, and she began to buck to throw off the presumed attacker.

Several moments passed, and a tug on her hair had her head whipping backwards. She gasped for air to immediately cough when she broke through the surface of the water. Water came shooting past her lips, and she strained to breathe properly. She hacked hard, chest hurting and body convulsing, before she was shoved forward into the water again. She was better prepared this time and took a deep breath in to hold it. She continued to thrash and she screamed in her raw throat. She was held under for a few minutes this time and another set of hands seemed to struggle with the one in her hair. She could hear a muffled argument and splashing around her before her hair was released none too gently. A strong arm slipped across the top of her chest, hand coming to clutch at her left shoulder, and she was pulled back to the surface.

Sakura gasped and blinked rapidly, sunlight burning her vision for many seconds. She coughed and she felt a warm body beside her holding her steady. The weight on her legs lifted, and she dragged her legs beneath her, too weak to try to stand. She shifted back and the weight of her body settled on her calves, and she pulled her arms forward to grab onto the arm keeping her from falling forward into what she could tell was a riverbank. She wheezed and spit out more water. The hard body beside her curled around her side, and whoever it was began to pat her back.

Sakura was dripping wet and cold, and the body beside her was warm and seemingly comforting. She held onto the arm across her chest tighter, and she leaned forward slightly to ease the pressure off her legs which were turning numb. Sakura's eyes drifted closed and she tried to concentrate on settling her breathing through her nose.

"I told you that you could kill her, Madara!" The voice vibrated, shaking her side.

The name sparked in her mind, and her eyes shot open. Her head twisted to her right and she raised her chin to stare into the defined jaw of a man she recognized only from texts. Her brows furrowed in confused astonishment and her lips fell open unsure of how to respond to the situation. The Shodai Hokage looked down at her then, his center parted fringe falling down to tickled her pale cheeks. Her eyes traced his tanned face, and he offered a small smile.

"Are you ok, miss?" He inquired gently.

Sakura stared flabbergasted now.

"Shodai?" She whispered.

He seemed confused at the title, and his fingers pressed into her shoulder. His other arm ceased patting her to rest on the curve of her back.

"No, no. You may call me Hashirama. Senju Hashirama." He corrected.

He pushed her back with his arm, and raised a hand to lay it on her forehead as if to check for a fever. Sakura flinched at the clinking of his red armor, and in her periphery she saw the Nidaime stoically standing not too far off behind them. His arms crossed in front of him, but she could see the flash of silver of the kunai hidden in his hand. He had a deep scowl on his face, but his line of sight was focused beyond her.

Her emerald eyes directed to the Nidaime's focal point, head twirling away from the grasp of the First, and she hiccuped. Fear crept up her spine as she looked at the firm form of the infamous Uchiha Madara. His waist length spiky hair danced around the breeze, his Sharingan glimmering. His fair features clashed with the darkness of his blue high collared mantle hidden partly by the crimson metal armour. Sakura was mesmerized at the powerful sight he made, his gunbai resting at his back, hand on his hip.

"Miss?" The First called.

Sakura's hands were clenched painfully on the arm of Hashirama, and she fought down the bile rising in her throat. She struggled to search her mind for how on Earth she was seeing dead people. She briefly considered it a genjutsu, but with her superior senses, she knew it wasn't true. She considered it being the reanimated forms, but she could feel the heat from Hashirama's skin and the blood pumping through his veins. When she had met the reanimated Hokages before the fight with Kaguya, she remembered how cold their bodies were.

_Kaguya_, she thought eyes widening. _She had to have been the one to do this._

Images flashed in her mind and she remembered the sinking in her gut when she passed through the portal. _Naruto… Sasuke-kun. _Sakura froze as she vaguely pieced together what occurred after her separation from Team 7, or what was left of it, and dread filled her. Several emotions tormented her- sorrow, fear, dread, angst, and anger. She settled on anger. Anger made her strong and it made her rigid.

She forced herself to stare into the tomoes of the Sharingan of Madara as he raised his chin to stare down his nose at her even from the short distance.

"You! You tried to drown me!" She pointed with a shaking finger, teeth chattering.

Madara raised an eyebrow at her. "And you interrupted _my_ battle to attack me."

She had no retort for him immediately and she lifted her nose at him mockingly at out of sheer spite.

"Who are you?" He demanded now stepping closer to her.

She gave no dignified response, just a snort, and she bravely attempted to seem stronger and bigger than she actually was. She squared her shoulders, and shifted onto her haunches despite the protest of her sore and weakened body. Hashirama protested in her stead, clutching at her and begging her not to move.

"You're too weak!" Hashirama declared, trying to pull her to him softly as though as were fragile. "You've lost too much blood!"

Sakura knew this to be true. Her internal analysis said as much, and her muscles were cramping and her bones quivering as she stood up. She made it in one fluid motion, rocking on her heels in the uneven sandbank. Her chakra was low, and she could feel how beat up her system was from her prior engagements. This wasn't going to stop her from standing up to an enemy of Konoha though.

Or an enemy to be of Konoha, she reprimanded herself.

"I don't need to answer you." She bit out defiantly.

He was charging at her in a flash, a movement too fast for her tired eyes to follow, and had it not been for the sharp pitch of kunai clashing, she was sure she would have been dead. She held perfectly still. The black cloth of the Nidaime's arm obscured her peripheral vision, and she blinked rapidly. The sneering face of Madara stood way closer than she anticipated, and she could see the strain on his face as he strove to push the Second Hokage away. Neither of them budged, forces equally matched in a standstill.

Sakura was surprised. The speed of the Second was clearly unrivaled and not exaggerated over the generations.

The man she recalled as Tobirama was behind her, his fur collar tickling and brushing against her face and neck, blocking the kunai in Madara's hand from striking her. The intense aura of the men weighed heavy on her, and Sakura gauged how blessed she was to have somehow made the fortune of being under Tobirama's protection, if she could call it that.

"You are _my_ prisoner. You _will_ answer to me." Madara growled.

"Madara! Tobirama!" Hashirama yelled from behind them.

The change in his tone was notable, and both men froze. Sakura was unsure of how the man so gentle and soft from before could change to be so firm. She could feel his demanding presence and it rivaled the Uchiha Clan head. In her history books, it was said that both men were equally matched in strength and determination, and Sakura wondered if it were accounts like these which caused it to be written as so.

Sakura swallowed a lump in her throat, and she maintained her perfectly still posture. She ignored the goosebumps crawling up her arms and the cool breeze on her wet skin. It must have been late in the day with the sun starting its descent. Sakura chanced a glance around her, and saw a man who looked vaguely like Sasuke staring at her with keen interest. He was pale, and even almost sickly looking, but she remembered his eyes. Eyes which were distinctly unlike Sasuke.

Her attention drew back to Madara when he halted his attack on her and the Second. The Nidaime had yet to speak, but she could feel his heated stare on her. He hadn't moved yet from directly behind her, her back solely warmed by his lithe body. His armor, despite being cooler, was pressed along her backside so that he could reach around her to stop the assault.

"This is no time for silly games." Hashirama pressed approaching the trio.

"Indeed." Tobirama snapped.

"Then you will have her tell us exactly who she is and why she attacked me." Madara was sheathing his kunai in his pants pocket, gloves crinkling.

Sakura looked at him with distaste before catching the small smirk on the face of the man she had healed. Sakura turned away when Hashirama cleared his throat stepping up to her. He grabbed his brother's arm, lowering it from where it was still holding in position in front of her. She took note of the exchange between the brothers when she felt Tobirama step away from her.

"Miss, " Hashirama redirected, "Please tell us your name and why you're fighting us."

"Me." Madara corrected.

"Madara."

Silence stretched between them, and she struggled with an answer. She had attacked Madara because she had thought he was Kaguya, an honest mistake, but one she could not voice. Sakura scrambled for an answer. An answer which could put her in a better position, but also not disrupt the constructs of time because she clearly wasn't in hers.

"I thought he was someone else." She prayed to Kami they wouldn't question who.

They mulled over her response, and she tucked away the urge to fidget. Her spine was starting to ache with how tight her shoulders were and she dared not move or else her legs were to give out.

"Your name."

Sakura was surprised by the sharp tone of Tobirama, and she bit her tongue.

"Sakura."

"No clan affiliation?" He asked suspiciously.

"None."

"Where did you learn to fight like that?" Madara drew, hand back on his hip.

Sakura, caught off guard, opened her mouth to retort and then closed it when she realized she couldn't respond with Tsunade's name. She wasn't aware of how far along in time she was and she didn't want to intercept anymore than she already had. Sakura panicked. _Did women not fight in the Warring States?_, she thought grimly.

"I taught myself."

"Did you teach yourself to heal as well?" Tobirama asked sarcastically behind her.

Sakura flung a glare over her shoulder. Just whose side was this man on?

"Tobirama!" Hashirama interjected to her relief.

"Sakura-san, please excuse him. We are just curious as to how you came about your abilities."

"What Hashirama means is that you better tell us where you learned it or else you'll die." Madara threatened, his fingers playing with a senbon needle.

A strange look passed between Madara and Hashirama. It wasn't hostile, but as if Hashirama was reprimanding Madara, and he was challenging him. Sakura wondered what their relationship entailed and how close were they despite their warring clans.

"You saved a fatally wounded shinobi while severely injured yourself." Hashirama stated slowly like he was testing his words. "How were you able to?"

Sakura pressed a finger to her rhombus shaped seal. She forgone words not trusting herself entirely to share something explicitly. Hashirama's face contorted into a thoughtful expression while Madara was seemingly judging her. She covered a shiver by adjusting her soaking wet clothes. They were torn to shreds and the weight of the water was starting to cause them to sag. Sakura shared no interest in giving them a peep show least she not know the conditions of her bindings.

It was agony trying to gauge the three men, two of which in her vision, and the other hovering at her back coiled to attack. She had forgotten the fourth unnamed man until he sauntered beside the Uchiha.

"Madara, what would you like to do?" The man spoke.

Madara was staring at her again, and she bit the inside of her cheek. There was a long pause before he sheathed his senbon and adjusted the gunbai on his back.

"She comes with us."

Protests arose from her and Hashirama simultaneously. Sakura shook her head and waved her hands in front of her while Hashirama seemed to deflate at the intensity of the Sharingan.

"You may have saved my brother, but you still attempted to be my murderer. You are now my prisoner of war until I say otherwise."

His word must have been law, and when he spun away, Hashirama sent her a worried glance, lips pursed. Tobirama made no move and stood completely aside, while all Sakura could do was stare dumbfounded at Madara's back.

_His brother?, _Sakura frowned. _Izuna? Didn't he die..._

Her eyes trained on the fourth man who stood before her. He was shorter than Madara, and slightly less intimidating, but a formidable Uchiha nonetheless. Sakura made no move to follow Madara still lost in thought when said Uchiha stepped in front of her. His hand was firm as he grabbed her forearm, and she lost her balance when he jerked her towards him. She gave a small shout and looked up into his spinning red eyes falling right into his genjutsu. Sakura was out instantly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Founding Love**

**Chapter Three**

Sakura was adjusting to being manhandled by the Uchiha Clan leader poorly. They were in the process of moving several shinobi legions away to a place he refused to tell her. She fought him tooth and nail, but every time she protested or pushed his patience too far she wound up locked in his genjutsu via Sharingan. Madara was a man of little patience, she added in thought, so she found herself often falling victim to his spinning tomoes.

He routinely had her thrown over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and when she woke he would instantly drop her like dead weight. It was a jarring experience especially since she couldn't catch herself with her arms being bound behind her back. Her body was quite tender and her chakra pathways were in the process of healing naturally which was agonizing. Her only relief was the solace she took in the man Izuna.

Izuna was a man of few words. Stoic and perhaps even unreadable to a degree. Had she not known Sasuke for as long as she did, Sakura doubted she would be able to read Izuna clearly or even at all. Sakura observed him through the corner of her eyes and often noticed the slight frown he'd wear when his brother did something he wasn't too fond of or she'd watch his eyes light up and a small smirk cross his lips when he'd bait Madara into argument.

The brothers were inseparable. Being as Madara's personal prisoner, Sakura was given extra time to study their interactions away from the prying eyes of the clan. In front of the clansmen, both were rigid and firm in their commands and stances. Both were guarded with her, but over the last two weeks they were easing into their own seemingly usual barbs. The brothers were _very_ competitive, and both extremely proud. Between the two though, Madara wasn't nearly as harmonic as Izuna. Izuna seemed to be in touch with his peers and how to manage social engagements in rankings while Madara was a demanding force and a naturally gifted leader.

Iron fisted, but a warrior leader nonetheless.

There were times when Sakura was entertained by the two men. Their banter was light and both were witty. Often though once they remembered her quiet presence, Madara would ruin the moment by resolving to his rough exterior.

Izuna, however, was always studying her. She caught him several times analyzing her and hovering like her shadow. When Madara would release her from his genjutsu, Izuna was never far off to pull her to her feet and steady her. She assumed it was because she had saved his life, but he'd linger too close or he'd skirt around the edges of her awareness long after she was moving again.

So far though she hadn't been interrogated nor had she been terribly mistreated considering her attacks on the clan head. Sakura figured it would have happened already or that she'd been killed, but they only pressed her on with the rest of the clan. Madara was keen on getting to wherever he was headed, and he wasted no time in turning into a slave driver.

She struggled the first few days to keep pace and he made snide comments. Usually along the lines of how the fairer sex wasn't made to handle intensive labor, Sakura ignored these having been used to Tsunade's mysogonistic male council, and then he'd either drag her along or convert to his Sharingan.

Those were times when she caught Izuna frowning. Sakura thought off asking him why he seemed so offended or worried, but she didn't quite know how to approach him. Let alone how to corner him without his peering brother to overshadow their conversation.

Izuna was always the one to take care of her needs. He kept a respective distance for the most part, only coming near to interact with her over food or other menial tasks. Madara though was never too far either. His own all seeing eyes judging her. She swore he was a soul reader with how he looked at her.

Sakura shivered idly at the sensation. His piercing eyes on her even now as they trudged through the forest. Sakura feigned interest in the parting woods in front of her to avoid the urge to turn and face the long haired man. Sakura stretched her fingers wishing she was able to break the hold of the bindings.

"Do you need something, Sakura-San?"

She faced the younger brother with a frown. "I'd love to have my arms released. My fingers are starting to lose blood flow."

"No. Don't try to fool us. I've seen what you've done with those hands." Madara's voice rang out.

Sakura growled low in her throat and she knew Izuna shared the same sentiment when his lips turned down to a small degree. Anger was bubbling beneath the surface of her skin, and Sakura crushed the urge the snarl.

"I have no chakra whatsoever. I doubt I'd be able to fight all of you." Sakura sighed, facing away from Izuna's pale form.

She shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to alleviate the tension along her arms and back. She grimaced when her nerves pinched and the skin pulled taut. Her torn clothes which had caked to her wounded skin now were glued to where her wounds were healing. Her movement caused a wide array of aches and pains to stretch along her back and arms, and she immediately dropped back into position.

To her surprise, suddenly her arms slackened and fell forward unrestrained. She stopped walking to turn wide eyed at the cold face of Izuna carrying her now broken bindings. She grasped at her wrists and rubbed the raw markings and opened her mouth in shock.

"Izuna!" Madara hissed, anger boiling in his words.

"She is of no threat to us." Izuna stated simply depositing his kunai in his holster on his hip.

Sakura shifted to glance at the sneering face of Madara, and she shimmied away slightly toward Izuna at her side. She kept focused with her senses on the steaming man, and she frowned at the implication.

Madara must have been shocked by his brother's defiance, and he clenched his jaw and fists before storming ahead. Sakura glanced around to see several other shinobi rather shocked behind them. She fidgeted slightly before returning her attention to Izuna.

"Thank you." She murmured.

When he did not respond, she followed the path Madara took, unsure of what had just transpired. Sakura was taking hesitant steps forward wondering if perhaps she was being coaxed into a lax state under a false pretense of friendliness. Sakura recalled how Ibiki ran his own interrogations, and sometimes he would employ this tactic himself She felt Izuna's presence a few paces behind her and she felt obligated to find a way to properly thank him later even if there ran a small risk of being coerced.

Madara was several feet away, and Sakura found herself studying his back. His red armor gleamed in the sunlight, and his long hair splayed out behind him. Sakura was struck by how regal he looked, but she dismissed that thought when he turned red fuming eyes at her.

_Asshole,_ she thought, narrowing her own eyes at him.

He must have shared the same sentiment, and he turned back to the forest parting before them. Sakura glanced warily around, fidgeting with her wrists and fingers. She hadn't been lying when she said she had no chakra. Her body was healing slowly, and she felt vulnerable being surrounded by so many foreign chakra signatures. Naturally, being the only female in the presence of a small army, she was extremely cautious not to stray far from the Uchiha brothers even when relieving herself. In her weakened state, she knew she would make an easy target.

Sakura shivered, her fingers curling into tight fists.

She was distracted momentarily, and jumping with a start when she heard many people behind her sighing and whispering. Her eyes moving quickly, she caught sight of the woods opening to a massive clearing. She scanned in awe, and realized it was a small village inside itself. Standing before her was a solid wall leading encircling what she assumed was a compound. There were dark navy doors with the Uchiha fan engraved. All along the walls were flags waving proudly with the Uchiha Clan symbol, and patrolmen guarding the top walls and doors.

Pausing in her step, Sakura's mouth fell open in awe.

_This compares to nothing like the accounts in the textbooks, _Sakura mewed to herself.

In her amazement, she didn't realize she was standing still until she heard Izuna stopping beside her. She glanced in his direction to see him staring down at her. Averting her eyes, she then caught sight of Madara fixing his dark eyes on her. She held his gaze for a moment before distracting herself with people filtering around her.

The doors opened and the small army proceeded in with a wave from the clan head. She could read the visible relief in their shoulders and the softening of their faces, and she remembered how even her friends felt when Akatsuki was taken down. Sakura felt her heart ache and her stomach tightened into a knot at the thought of how the Clans must be feeling with their constant warring with the Senju.

Based on what she read, she must have fallen in time prior to the Senju and Uchiha alliance. Frowning at the thought, she memorized the guards posted along the wall tops.

_War doesn't change with time, does it?_

"Just a necessary precaution."

Sakura whipped her head back away from Madara as he suddenly was before her with a blindfold. She reached up to grab at his wrists, the cloth stretching between his hands. She struggled with him for a moment, but he easily overpowered her. With a shout, she rocked her fists against the metal plate of his armor to no avail. She was flailing about trying to keep him from tying the knot behind her head, but another set of hands were suddenly helping his.

"You already led me here without one! Why do I need it now?" She cried once it was knotted.

Someone with warm, large hands were grabbing her wrists and dragging her forward, the heat of the body to her front warming her. Her throat was croaking with a groan when she was pulled along. She dared not drag her feet, but she protested weakly in her throat.

"I don't need to answer you." Madara mocked, his voice deep and ringing in her ears.

"Ugh!"

She gave up fighting and grabbed at the fabric on the arm of the man leading her. She stumbled in her sandals a few times, and she could hear the scuff of Madara. Her senses were high strung and she was hyper fixating on everything around her. Several paces ahead, she could hear the low murmuring of a gathering crowd. Around her, sounds of a bustling village reached her ears, but mostly indistinguishable whispers. Her eyes flickered back and forth behind the blindfold, sunlight barely peeking through the dark cloth.

Sakura could feel who she assumed was Izuna keeping pace with them. Instead of lingering at the outskirts of her awareness, he was much closer, the two men almost sheltering her with their bodies. She was trapped without meaning to be.

_Great._

Gripping tighter on Madara's sleeve, she let him drag her along for awhile. The murmuring around them faded to a quiet rustle, but she could still feel the pinpricks along her skin where people were staring. She was growing self conscious, her mind sensitive to the idea of what her clothes and skin looked like. She knew she was covered in rags shredded by battle, and she knew she was caked in blood both hers and of others. Bruises littered her skin from as much as she could see, though they were healing in a pale yellow tone.

A warm breeze blew by and her hair tickled her face. She blew a breath out to keep it from tickling her again, but she breathed in a strand causing her to wrinkle her nose. Taking a chance, she shook her head to move her hair from her face. The movement disoriented her and she misstepped falling into the hard backside of Madara as he stopped.

"Sorry!" She squeaked embarrassed.

When she had no response, she tilted her head up in what she thought was his direction. Straining her ears, she tried to listen for any noise. She leaned forward a bit for a few seconds, struggling to hear any noise. Listening, she heard Izuna move away from her, his own armor clinging gently together. She heard some shuffling and then light footsteps on what she guessed was hardwood.

"Take off your filthy sandals." Madara suddenly spit out.

Startelled, she released the grip she had on his arm, and she fumbled to kneel down and undo the clasps of her sandals. She felt along the edges and unbuckled each side before gingerly stepping out of her sandals and toeing the soft ground before her. She went to gather her sandals in her arms, when Madara tugged at her arm.

"Hey!" She shouted indignantly. She dropped her sandals back down and grabbed his arm again, the fabric rustling in her fingers while she tried to release herself.

"You won't be needing those."

"The hell I won't!"

Silence stretched between them, and she gritted her teeth. When he tugged on her forearm again pulling her forward, she bit out, "Will you stop doing that?!"

"If I didn't, then you would be flat on your face."

Sakura snapped her jaw shut, the muscle ticking with the force. Madara pushed her forward again with a yank, his body heat radiating from her left side, and she took a few stumbling steps before knocking her shins on some wood. She grunted and another set of hands were grabbing her arms from a higher position above.

"Step up." Izuna's softer voice guided. She presumed it was his hands now on her forearms pulling her closer.

Lifting her leg, she timidly stepped onto what she would call a porch, the smooth wood cool against her feet. She brought her other leg up soon after, and edged her foot along the front of her to gauge how far he was in proximity to her. He was close, that much she could tell, when she ran her foot right into his own.

"Sorry!" She embarrassingly withdrew her foot, her face warm.

"Step fifty paces to the left."

Sakura frowned, her brows furrowing, as she turned to her left. Izuna stayed behind her, shifting to keep a hold on her forearms. Her fingers spread in front of her and she lifted one foot in front of the other.

"Where are you taking me?" She huffed, trying to maintain a calm, level head, her thoughts running rampant.

"Take twenty paces to your right."

She was counting in her head and cursed herself when she lost her train of thought. She was pausing when she felt his breath brushing the top of her head.

"You still have thirteen to go before you make the right."

She shuffled forward with a jolt, and she felt heat flooding her face and neck. She wiggled her fingers and raised her arms in front of her in case she were to run into something. The motion brought him closer to her, and she figured he had the advantage if they were to grapple with one another. She cursed her luck.

She followed his directions, and was making the right in no time. She could hear a slight echo now, and she wondered where he was leading her. The air was becoming staller as she continued on and she gauged they were moving into some sort of wing of the compound.

"Sixteen paces to the left."

Sakura turned abruptly to stay on point with his directions, storing the information away in case she needed to navigate her way out. They continued for another few moments with him leading her like a blind woman. She let him guide her, and much to her relief she had yet to run into anything.

"We're here." Izuna said squeezing her forearms to halt her.

"Where is here?" She asked tentatively. She was beginning to feel nervous and she shuffled her weight back and forth between her feet in an unconscious effort to rock herself.

"This room will be your quarters for the meantime. Madara issued that you were to stay close." She felt the weight of his words settle thickly. "I wouldn't stray far if I were you."

Sakura felt him release her arms, and he unknotted the blindfold. She blinked at the shoji door before her and she turned to look into Izuna's face. She stepped away from him, and turned slightly towards him.

"Why am I here?" Sakura pried, curiosity and fear leaking into her. She shuddered at the implications of having a 'quarter', but she was unfamiliar with captivity in this era.

"Madara will decide to answer you on that, Sakura-san." His heavy gaze weighed on her like a ton of bricks, and she reached up to fold her arms in front of her as a means to soothe herself.

_Anything can happen,_ Sakura swallowed down a bundle of nerves, stroking the inside of her arms with her fingertips. She could be killed or worse yet be turned into a slave or a concubine. Not that she thought the Uchiha had accounts of those things, but she had heard other clans sharing similar tales while she was in the Academy as a young girl. She shuddered at the thought. While in the Academy, all kunoichi were expected to take a course on such tender topics. She was no fool to what kunoichi were designed for, but thankfully Tsunade-Shishou never assigned her any missions requiring her fairer sex to be used.

She was hoping to hold onto her virtue for as long as possible, and she would not like to lose it any time soon. In this time or the other.

Sakura felt Madara's intense chakra signature nearing, and she visibly watched Izuna shoulder a proverbial mask. His shoulders tensed and his posture straightened. He was moving silently away from her and his charcoal eyes left hers to glance at the shoji door behind her.

Taking her queue, Sakura tilted her head in respect."Thank you."

She shuffled to open the door when he paused her.

"A handmaid will be by to assist you with tending your wounds. Madara-Sama will see you after."

With that, he made a swift exit as Madara rounded the corner. She stared off at Madara before bowing her head slightly in his direction before skirting into her designated quarters. Sakura managed to hold her chest quietly, his presence still imposing to her. She listened listlessly focusing on his presence which lingered for a few moments before dispersing.

Sighing in relief, she turned to look around. The room was quaint and lightly furnished. She assumed it was a guest wing as she couldn't find any substantial chakra signatures in the vicinity beside the Uchiha brothers. There was a small cot in the center of the room, and a couple mats around a small wooden table to the side.

Sakura fidgeted, wringing her hands around her wrists as she stepped further in lost in thought. When the door squeaked open, she gasped and turned around instinctively reaching for her pouch on her legs which no longer was there thanks to having all her weapons confiscated at the beginning of this escapade.

A young woman was kneeling beside the door bowing slightly. Her hair was a dark brown characteristic of the clan, and Sakura relaxed ever so slightly when she realized the woman had enough chakra to only be considered her life force. The woman raised her head and blinked at Sakura who fumbled to dip her head in a polite greeting.

The young woman was an adolescent based on what Sakura could read in her face, her cheeks still full and rosy. There was no sense in her being over thirteen years old, Sakura gauged studying the small hands pressed to the floor. She had thin lips and brown eyes which were averted downward on Sakura's face. Subconsciously, Sakura licked her chapped and busted lip.

"Ma'am, I will be escorting you and assisting in your care per Madara-Sama." The girl, Sakura corrected mentally, bowed again timidly.

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura." She stated with a gentle smile. Sakura nodded slowly in show hoping not to scare the poor girl.

"Yes, Haruno-San." The girl shifted on her knees to part the shoji door further beckoning Sakura forward.

Sakura took small steps and stepped out into the hall, eyes darting around in case Madara was hiding behind a corner. The girl closed the door and stood with her head tucked to her chest. She shifted down the hall in what Sakura presumed was the opposite direction of where she originally entered the hall. Sakura kept pace a few steps behind the girl.

Sakura noted how quiet the corridors were, and she wondered how secluded she was. As she glanced about memorizing each shoji door, though exactly all the same, she counted how many rooms between each side of the hall and how many to her destination. Sakura was impressed. The Uchiha manor where Sasuke had lived was immense and beautifully decorated, ornate in detail and how impeccable in how each space was designed. It seemed it was a tradition handed down with the beauty of the craftsmanship. Sakura was reminded distinctly of how high standing the Uchiha Clan were.

They paused in front of another shoji door where the young girl drew open the door and bowed. Sakura froze with a frown and waited for her to enter, but when she didn't, Sakura grasped at the edge of her green flak jacket. The girl raised her hand, palm up and waved Sakura in. Sakura took a few timid steps in and realized she was in a makeshift changing room.

To the side of the room was a thin screen and the other side of the room was a low, long bench. Beside the bench was a small basket with some towels of various sizes and another basket which was empty. Sakura glanced to the back of the room and saw a separate shoji door. Sakura shifted back when the girl came in and closed the door behind her. The girl rolled her sleeves up and motioned for Sakura to turn to the bench.

Sakura followed her over, and the girl kneeled down, her hands folded in her lap. Sakura shuffled on her feet, and looked on confused.

"Haruno-San, if you would please remove your clothing." The girl asked shyly with a small pink tint over her cheeks.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Sakura flushed running a hand through her shoulder length hair.

Sakura began to unzip her jacket and frowned with how worn the material was. The girl took her jacket from her and set it in the empty basket. Sakura fumbled with what was left of her black shirt and and stumbled to remove her pants. Her binding which were once holding senbon and her weapons pouch easily slipped off, and Sakura set to work on removing the dirty, ragged bindings on her feet. The young girl was patient with her though and took each item gently.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably when the girl looked expectantly at Sakura's chest binding and underwear. Sakura tore through the material of the chest bindings, and slipped out of her underwear with a grimace. The girl didn't flinch or grimace. She simply took the items and again set them in the basket. She then handed Sakura a small white towel, and gestured to the screen.

Sakura, having been to a few onsen and sento with Ino, unfolded the towel and draped it lengthwise in front of her body for modesty. She padded behind the screen and saw a bucket already filled with water and an empty one beside it. The young girl came from behind her and began to fill the empty bucket under the faucet. As it was filling, the girl took the towel from Sakura and wet it in the filled bucket before lathering it with soap.

"Please, you don't have to, miss." Sakura cooed.

The girl disregarded her and continued on before turning off the water. She raised the full bucket and motioned for Sakura to sit. Sakura sighed and sat on her heels, dipping her head forward. The girl dumped the warm water over Sakura, and she shivered on impact. The girl set the bucket to fill again before grabbing the towel to lather Sakura. She had moved behind Sakura and was soft in her ministrations. Sakura hissed a few times when she ran the cloth over torn skin or bruised muscles, but she made no move to protest. The young woman was silent, but worked over her wounds softly. Her dipped the towel in the full bucket several times to remove the blood and dirt from her skin, and she never stared at Sakura's aches.

Sakura settled her nerves and let the girl pour more water over her to rinse her before repeating the process. The girl did it several times until Sakura was no longer covered in grime. She then handed Sakura a larger towel which Sakura used to dry herself. Sakura glanced down at her bruised thighs and torn skin with a deep sigh. Sakura felt herself deflate as memories of the fight with Kaguya played across her mind's eye.

Sakura hiccuped as a silent sob broke her, tears spilling down her cheeks when she thought of Sasuke's final moments, his smile permanently ingrained in her heart. Her shoulders shook from the force to hold in her anguish, and her teeth clenched together. Sakura squeezed her eyes shut and her head fell further forward.

The girl didn't make a sound, but quietly continued working while Sakura finished grieving. For a long while, Sakura barely registered the girl drying her. Sakura tilted her head up and breathed in deep through her nose, eyes closed.

"What is your name?" Sakura asked breaking the silence while the girl spread a medicinal ointment across her back.

The girl didn't answer immediately, but responded nonetheless. "Aoki."

"Thank you, Aoki."


	4. Chapter 4

**Founding Love**

**Chapter Four**

Sakura was left alone for several days. She could hear the boards creak as people passed by. Some chakra signatures were low and their footsteps light. Often this was Aoki or other clans women with lower statures. Others were more intense, presumably men based on the heavy steps. She assumed these were guards elected to monitor her in case she were to flee or attempt something. Not that she would, but she knew she would be cautious of some unknown person with the capability of fighting a clan head with no qualms on death. Sometimes though on rare occasions in the night, Sakura could feel the immense pressure of stifling chakra which she had engraved in her mind as Madara. It was often fleeting, but he never bothered to enter her enclosed room.

Aoki came by a couple times a day with food on a tray, usually rice and beans with some vegetables. Dinner was often light as well. Sakura craved chicken or steak sometimes, but she never asked for anything more substantial. She knew as an unwelcome visitor she didn't have much choice in her selection of food. So far nothing was poisoned either, so either they were trying to win her trust or just trying to stifle the return of her chakra by keeping her weak. Guaranteed due to her immense training under her Shishou, she was used to chakra depletion and her naturally replenished quicker over a shorter timespan.

At this time, Sakura was in a false pretense of relaxation. Her room was quaint and soothing with the few candles placed on a low table. She had no windows, being it was an interior room, but if she focused hard enough she could hear the trickling of the outside world: birds chirping, children laughing, and even the murmur of small conversation. Sakura was lulled into her easy routine. Aoki would sit with her for a couple hours at a time. At first, Sakura refused to talk and Aoki never pried. After awhile, Sakura was stir crazy. She'd pry into relaxed conversation with the younger woman, and even though Aoki was hesitant, she'd answer in a soft murmur.

It was quite nice considering all things. Nothing often came of these conversations, but Sakura was at peace in those moments.

This morning, though, she found a thick, heavy hand weaved in her hair pulling her out of her bed. She jerked and opened her mouth with a silent cry as she reached up to ease the hand on the crown of her head. She fought on the futon to kick off the covers to better leverage herself against her assailant. With one hand, she tried to grab his wrist, but her fingers couldn't enclose entirely around the appendage. Her other hand was wrapped around a thick forearm, and she lifted herself into a squatted position to try to lean back.

"Let go!" Sakura hissed, pushing her bottom back, and forcing her full weight on one leg.

Sakura kicked upward with her free leg, and caught the ribcage of the man behind her. He grunted, and he dipped forward over her frame. She caught sight of his long black hair, and she grabbed at it to pull him over her. He growled low in his throat, a rumbling sound in her ear, and she tugged harder trying to move him. He rocked forward a bit before sharply pulling her own hair.

She cried out, falling backwards against his legs, but never did she release his hair. She gave a pull herself, and he hissed in her hair.

"Don't like it, do you?" She mocked, pulling harder. "Now let go!"

"You ingrate!" He barked.

Sakura froze in realization of just whose hair she was trying to rip out, and she momentarily eased her grip. Her mistake was exaggerated by his quick flip of his hair away from her, and his other hand made its way underneath her arm into the crook of her armpit. He hoisted her up easily, and she squeaked in protest.

"Madara," another voice called from the hall, a tone much gentler than the man handling her.

"Not now, Izuna." He belted, dragging her off her futon.

Sakura's legs were entrapped in her sleeping kimono, and she stumbled backwards following Madara. Her left hand gripped at the material of his pants and she held tight begging Kami not to fall. Madara was backpedaling quickly, her bare feet not able to find purchase at any point, and he whipped her around in the door frame. She jolted to her side, and found herself tipping her head back to stare into the scrunching face of the young Uchiha brother.

Her mouth was gaping open and her eyes wide, when Izuna reached toward her. She jerked back instinctively into the firm body of Madara, and Madara's hand loosened in her hair. She flinched when Izuna tugged at her kimono, pulling it closed. She flushed embarrassed suddenly at the implication. It must have opened in her tousle with Madara, and she inwardly groaned at what possibly either brother caught sight of. Women apparently in this time were not fond of chest bindings, and Sakura could only imagine with a grimace what her chest looked liked so exposed.

Izuna was still slightly frowning, when Madara began dragging her again into the hall. She stumbled to keep pace with him pressing harshly behind her.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura chewed on her lip, stepping lightly on her toes to keep steady.

He didn't answer her and she protested in her throat. A sea of dark hair and black eyes parted before them in the hall. Some people openly stared as they passed a group, and some people turned away shyly. Sakura begged with her eyes to anyone she could make eye contact with, but no one stepped forward to approach the angry man. She focused instead on which directions he was leading her in, and suddenly she found herself stepping off the porch onto the green grass.

Madara shoved her none too gently and she stumbled to her knees in a thick patch of grass. Sakura fixed a glare over her shoulder at the brooding Uchiha, and she eased the tension in her shoulders when Izuna stood hovering on the porch not too far off.

"Heal it." Madara barked, folding his arms across his broad chest.

Sakura narrowed her eyes further, "Why would I heal anything for you?"

"You did once."

Sakura blinked once and then twice, before letting a breath slowly through her nose.

"Heal it, and perhaps we can find purpose in you staying here alive."

Heat blossomed in her chest and crept up her throat. She snubbed him, nose pointed high and she stared down at him with long lashes.

"I would almost rather die if _this_ is how you plan on treating me."

He stepped forward menacingly, his chakra pouring out from his body in dark waves. He was a force to be reckoned with, and Sakura felt her body shiver in fear at his appearance. He stopped in front of her, his hakama pants brushing her heels.

"I can arrange to be considerably worse."

Sakura counted her blessings slowly to reason with herself. She was being fed, bathed, and clothed. She wasn't able to leave her established room, sure, but she wasn't forced to share it with anyone either. Most situations she thought of as a prisoner meant being tortured or used as a concubine. Images of a dark dungeon and being left hung to dry passed through her mind. None were options she would rather be in.

Perhaps he was the lesser evil, for now.

She met his hard eyes, and she spoke softly to not incite his wrath further. "What am I healing?"

He nodded before her, and she turned her eyes to scan the patch of forestry he led her to. She focused and tried to find anybody, but there was no one else nearby. She glanced over her shoulder at him again, and he raised an eyebrow at her. He lifted his chin again nodding before her, and she turned back to look into the grass.

On her hands and knees, she crawled forward to a tiny feathered lump hidden in some leaves. Gently she parted the grass, and stared at the small feather creature. With her fingers, she prodded it softly and it squawked at her, startling her. She felt the warmth of embarrassment crept in her chest again at jumping at the noise knowing full well both men saw.

She cleared her throat, and turned the bird over slowly. It's beady black eyes blinked up at her, and she felt her heart melt. It squawked again in a mild protest, and she frowned.

"Its wing is broken." She murmured.

"So fix it."

Sakura grit her teeth at his response, and she lifted the broken wing with tender fingers. The bird tried to flap in response, and she stilled its movement with a coo. Sakura then called forth her chakra, and poured it gently in slow steady waves to soothe the bird. It stopped squirming, and leaned back into her hand. It chirped a few times, and she focused on mending the wing.

She wasn't too sure exactly how to mend it, having really only healed animals a few times; Akamaru once or twice, and from what she practiced on fish, but she imagined the wing in her mind, and she trusted her instincts to follow through.

In a short moment, the wing was healed as best as she could imagine, and she released small steady bursts of chakra to liven the bird up. Sakura smiled suddenly when the bird jumped to its feet and hopped about stretching its wings in the grass.

She giggled as it pressed its feet into the grass and pranced with its wings stretched upwards. Sakura's smile widened when it flapped its wings expertly and took off into the closest tree. She sat there for a moment, and shifted to watch it fly from branch to branch before it settled into a tree happily chirping.

"Hm." The man behind her murmured before she heard rustling.

She turned around, and saw Izuna now standing beside his brother watching in silence. She flushed for a third time, not used to being watched so closely, and she nodded at Madara who peered down at her.

"That raven will probably stick around for awhile now." Izuna muttered to his brother.

Madara stood over the pinkette, and flashed his gaze towards the young man, before settling on the bird again.

"A raven?" Sakura asked.

She remembered vaguely Itachi being familiar with such birds, and she wondered where that stemmed from. Did the Uchiha build their contracts in forms of kindness like this? Or were their contracts similar to her own slug summons? She wondered.

She was pulled from her musings, when Madara shuffled away from the two of them. She assumed he was appeased with her skills for the meantime, as he disappeared from her eyes. Sakura fidgeted with her hands as her attention was now left with the man she had prior thought was Sasuke.

Her heart nervously clenched and she turned her head away from him to look at the happy raven prancing in the treetop. Though he resembled Sasuke, his face was too lean and his nose straighter. Sasuke had a full face from youth, and his nose was slightly crooked from where she had laid a well placed punch years ago. She cringed at the memory, and her chest felt tight.

"I apologize for my brother's handling of you this morning." He spoke, stepping next to her. He glanced down at her. "Would you like to stay out here for a bit?"

Sakura avoided his gaze, taking a deep breath in through her nose. She ran her fingers through the blades of grass and she watched the raven dance. Sakura let the breeze ruffle her hair, and she glanced back up at Izuna fleetingly.

"Yes, thank you." She whispered.

They stayed like that for a good bit of time. The silence stretching between them and the fresh air blowing around them. Sakura at first sat uncomfortably, shifting her weight between her legs, before deciding to sit on the ground with her knees bent next to her. She leaned her weight on her arm, and she tilted her head back to enjoy the outdoors. She eventually settled into the grass, her fingers playing idly in the dirt.

Izuna stood like a statue beside her the whole time. His presence was calming and soft unlike his brother who was fierce and hard. She mused on the differences such brothers could have, and imagined Sasuke and his own brother, Itachi. Perhaps she could find the similarities between these two Uchiha in time. If she ever had the patience to do so, she thought with a sigh.

"What is your name?"

Blinking away her musings, she tilted her chin up and stared openly at the Uchiha. He phrased his question again slower and slightly softer in tone, as if he was trying to not scare a child. Sakura frowned and turned away from him. Quickly running through her options, she knew she couldn't lie because she was quite known to be terribly at it. Even so, she had mistakenly given her first name to Aoki, who she assumed had told the clan brothers.

"Sakura." She murmured.

She was clenching her fingers in the blades of grass harshly debating if her surname was important or not. She had come from a lineage of merchants, but beyond that knowledge she actually wasn't sure where from. As far as she knew, her family had always settled in Konoha.

"Fitting, but not exactly what I meant."

Her head tilted back and a frown marred her face. He had been staring at her and the corner of his lip upturned ever so slightly at her reaction. She tsk'ed and clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth in a huff.

"There's more to me than just a name." She balked.

Izuna's eyebrow rose a fraction of a millimeter from what she could see in her peripheral. "Aren't all Senju original?"

She tilted her chin up defiantly and snorted in an unladylike manner.

"Good thing I'm not a Senju!"

She regretted it immediately when he shifted closer, his legs bending and his torso leaning over her frame slightly. She felt crowded suddenly, and under his eyes, she felt small.

"Then what are you?"

She turned to study this man under her long lashes. He may not be as imposing nor as impossible as his brother, but perhaps she needed to be more careful of her loose lips while in his care. He seemed more analytical, a trait she distinctly recalled Itachi having. All the more dangerous then.

"Isn't it considered rude to ask such questions when you haven't provided them yourself?" She was playing into a game which she wasn't sure she'd win.

The atmosphere was shifting darker, and heavier. A fierceness was lit in the seemingly delicate man, and she wasn't sure on how to broach his inquiry.

"You already know who I am, so formal introductions aren't necessary." He was leaning closer. "Besides if it looks like a Senju and acts like a Senju, how can it not _be_ a Senju?"

Sakura narrowed her eyes and shifted her weight off her hands slowly.

"Because I would have no qualms about putting you back in the condition I found you in whereas the Senju apparently would."

His hand was darting out quickly and she flung herself back into the grass to avoid his grasp, her own hand buzzing green in case he were to come closer. He was frozen above her and she held her breath ready to kick out at him if need be. She was reacting on pure instinct, and her dilated eyes were zipping around his body to avoid his eyes just in case he were to activate his Sharingan. His hand was posed above her in the space she had occupied, and his fingers were curling slowly inward. She was reminded of how devastatingly quick the Uchiha could be and how even quicker their temper was.

Like playing with fire, she thought.

Izuna was leaning back with a tightness in his shoulders which lied about the softness in his face. His mouth was tilted upwards in a snide smirk.

"I suppose you would not."

Izuna moved again to stand straight and he stepped away from her to the porch. At that moment, she didn't realize she had attracted the unwanted audience of Madara, his own piercing presence posed in fake calmness. From her place on the ground, she watched the brothers interact in a subtle manner. A message passed between the two of them with no words, and Izuna stood beside his brother with his attention returning to her. Both of their charcoal eyes piercing her in place.

Sakura dissipated the chakra from her hand, and sat up sharply. She didn't bother to brush the leaves from her hair and she sat still. Frozen even. Her chest was shaking from the force it was taking to hold her breath, and she nearly jumped startled when the raven flew down in front of her. It was squawking loudly and hopping about. It's black beady eyes flickering between the brothers with sharp turns of its head.

It stopped its chatter when Madara made a hum in his throat.

"Seems you have found yourself a companion." Madara chuckled.

The sound was interesting to Sakura. She never pictured hearing such a thing from him, and the noise was surprising and enjoyable in itself. She mentally shook the thought away. Nothing was enjoyable about that mass murderer.

With that finality in his tone, he sauntered off, his brother in tow. Sakura was flabbergasted and confused. Her head was spinning and the adrenaline was pumping loudly in her ears. The bird was shifting its head to and fro keeping the brothers insight before it started hopping around her with a chirp. When it flew off into the trees, Sakura followed the movement and let her emotions drain into her shoulders. She let go of the breath and huffed before throwing herself down into the grass dramatically.

She had the unmistakable idea she had signed her fate here.

It had been several hours at this point that she was resigned to either waiting for someone to retrieve her or that she would attempt to escape. In her twisted head, she was too scared to try to leave because she had thought it was a ploy. She had reasoned that they left her unattended to test her. Surely, she'd be caught easily by the brothers, being as that she was not at her full strength as of yet and that they had better knowledge of the landscape.

Sakura wished she had paid better attention to geography and history. Her mind drawing blanks when she mulled the idea over.

She felt like a lost cause. And here she now was, waiting and plucking the grass out in her frustration and nervousness.

She was awakened from her musings about midday when she heard some children laughing not too far off. She sighed content with the sound when she heard a crying. She sat up with a frown and turned over towards the noise where she heard a commotion of other children. She stood up, glancing around to see if anyone had come to check on her.

Seeing no one in sight, she trudged over to where the crying grew louder and the laughter was higher pitched. She came around the side of the building into a courtyard where in the center there was a small group of children around the ages of seven or so. She could see some boys pointing and laughing at a small girl in the center who was wailing and rubbing her eyes. One boy, holding a ball, was kicking up dirt at her and stomping around her.

Sakura fumed and stepped forward, anger burning deep in her stomach.

"Hey!" She yelled causing the boys to spin around at her unexpected entrance.

"Knock it off!" She yelled again making a show of puffing her chest and storming to the center of the scene.

The little girl was wiping her swollen eyes, and the boy with the ball stood in front of her with a fierce pout.

"No." He shoved his shoulders back as if to make himself bigger and Sakura stared him down.

"Leave her alone." Sakura bit out pushing past the other boys who were shaking.

"No!" He barked again before kicking more dirt at the girl. She began crying harder, and Sakura had enough.

"Listen here, you little brat," Sakura grabbed his arm and stomped her foot on the ground. When the ground shook beneath them, his face dropped and he let go of the ball.

"You won't dare pick on her again if you know what's best for you." Sakura wagged her finger in his face and jerked his arm upright to stand him up taller. "You need to learn to play fair, and _this_ isn't fair behavior. Got it?"

The boy began to sink to his knees, and she jerked him up again. With a stern face, she wagged her finger again at him, and he nodded his head quickly.

"Now apologize." Sakura commanded, turning him around to face the little girl.

The little girl was sniffling and wiping the snot on the sleeve of her kimono. The dark haired boy grunted, and Sakura stomped her foot again. Quickly, he apologized under his breath.

"Say it louder so we can all hear." Sakura pinched his side.

With a yelp, he came to his senses and shouted, "Sorry!"

"Good, now go play elsewhere." With a soft shove in the direction of the other scared boys, she sent him off. He glared at her over his shoulder, and she stood proudly in front of the little girl.

Once the boys were out of sight, she turned back around to the girl who was still sniffling. She kneeled down and with the sleeve of her sleeping kimono, she wiped the girl's face.

"It's ok." Sakura cooed gently, "you're going to be ok."

The girl looked up at her with her big brown eyes and tried to slow her hyperventilating down. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Sakura melted, dabbing the girl's eyes. "Sometimes people can be mean, but that doesn't mean you have to accept it. You're going to be ok, but you need to be strong."

The little girl frowned rubbing her cheeks with her tiny palms. Sakura felt tender and the little girl reminded her of when she herself was a small child. Memories of Ino standing up for her had Sakura sympathizing with the girl.

"Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself." Sakura smiled, gently pulling the girl's hands from her face.

"But they're bigger!" The girl cried tears beginning to pool again.

"But you can be just as strong! Teach them a lesson!" Sakura waived her fist for good measure.

The girl giggled and Sakura grinned. She handed the child the ball and patted her head before sending her off to play. Sakura stood from her place, and put her hands firmly on her hips as the girl wandered off with a pep in her step.

"You're going to be a pest, I can see." Madara's voice called out, and Sakura fitted him with a glare.

Sakura didn't bother with a response to him, but turned around regardless to head in his direction. She had felt better helping the poor girl, but Madara was seemingly ready to rain on her parade.

"You have children of your own?" She asked.

The question must have offset him, as his brows furrowed. She had the impression he didn't.

"Neither do I, but that doesn't mean we can't help raise children not of our own to be better people." Sakura added despite his lack of a response.

He hummed low in his throat, and she waited to step up on the porch enclosing the building. When he made no hostile move, she stepped on the porch and moved so she was angled slightly behind him. He didn't so much as flinch at her movement, instead moving to give her some space.

"Come, kunoichi." He commanded, and he took off headed further into the compound.

Sakura huffed indignantly, not being used to being directed in such a manner, but she kept pace. She was a mess of emotion, but based on his response to her as of yet, she was at least heading in a better direction.


	5. Chapter 5

**Founding Love**

**Chapter Five**

Sakura had been sitting outside meditating on the porch. For hours. Completely undisturbed.

She reflexively glanced around through slightly parted lids to confirm that tad bit of information.

Finding no one was still shocking, and she shrugged her thoughts from her to straighten her spine and settle her shoulders down. Breathing in deeply, she held her breath before releasing it slowly. She did this a few more times before her mind trotted back to her original thought process.

Who leaves their prisoner alone for hours, she thought with a grimace.

She shook herself mentally and groaned when her back slouched and her fingers drummed against her knees. Snapping straight, she clenched her teeth together in an attempt to steady herself. Breathing in deeply once again, she aimed to hold her breath longer before releasing it slowly.

Seriously though, why hadn't anyone come to check on her, she thought.

Thumping her fists on her knees, she huffed and recentered herself. Breathing in much deeper and dramatically, Sakura held her breath long enough for her lungs to scream at her before releasing it in a rush.

"Where is everybody?" She blurted abruptly, pink brows furrowed.

"Don't worry, princess, you're being babysat."

Sakura jumped and skittered to her feet before twisting around to see Izuna and Madara in the distance leaning nonchalantly against the framework of the building. Sakura shook her head and angrily dropped back down to her meditative pose. She huffed indignantly once again and knocked her knees trying to fold them under her in a ladylike manner. She straightened her back again and whipped her hair over her shoulder before shifting into a breathing rhythm.

"She lacks the manners of a noble clan. Surely she is a Senju." Izuna's muttering filtered through her inner musings and her eye twitched.

"So the Senju wouldn't be lying. Perhaps there is a first for everything." Madara's rumblings had her growling in her throat.

Breathe in, hold for five, and breathe out slowly, Sakura thought clenching her jaw tight. Sakura's temper was stirring quickly and she tried to ground herself, but found herself listening intently to the brothers.

"Then they will come for her bringing the heat of battle, undoubtedly."

There was a long pause, and she leaned in discreetly to better tune in.

"Then we will not disappoint."

"But what if-"

Sakura fumbled in her inner ramblings.

Firstly she was confused on why their assumption would be that she was a Senju. She had been trained by a formidable one, but they wouldn't have access to that information. Not once did she give away any intel or any present with any suspicious activity which could attribute to her being Senju related. She couldn't recall the Senju having any distinctive physical traits, but gauging between how different Hashirama and Tobirama looked, she supposed she couldn't rely on that. All had various different chakra controls and levels. Her healing ability could be her connect to the clan, but depending on just how far back she had been thrown in time, Hashirama may not have even had the knowledge or control yet to take on healing capabilities.

Secondly, why would the Senju clan claim her as one of their own? She had never met the clan prior to her engagement in battle. So why would they protect her? Or better yet sentence her to imprisonment knowing she was not actually involved? Sakura was drawing blanks and she scrambled to address her memory of the few moments with the clan. Hashirama seemed genuinely concerned for her, but it was in passing and not a reliable instance.

She had more questions than answers, and she couldn't deny how that could pose a problem for the Uchiha. She mentally berated herself for getting lost in the heat of battle upon her unwelcome and unusual arrival in this era.

She frowned.

"Stand."

Sakura dipped her head back to glare up at the older Uchiha. When had he even approached? His immense presence was overwhelming suddenly, and she bitterly stood under the weight of his chakra bearing down on her. Izuna shifted behind his brother, his own presence slightly unpleasant.

Since her last encounter with the brothers a few weeks ago, she had hardly seen them. Her handmaid though had taken it upon herself to deposit Sakura in the garden or the clearing behind the dwelling daily. Sakura made a habit of meditating and storing her chakra in her seal. She would then stretch and practice basic taijutsu to busy herself and retrain her muscles.

It was relaxing, but the first week or so she was constantly on edge. Fear darted along the edges of her mind thinking she would be attacked or reprimanded. Part of Sakura had a growing anxiety if she had stepped out of line for disciplining that child or if she would be punished for speaking so frankly to Madara. Nothing of the sort had come yet, but Sakura remained vigilant and as pleasant as she could be with the few people she interacted with considering her circumstances.

Sakura brushed the front of her kimono under the intense scrutiny of the brothers to remove the few wrinkles, and she fought the urge to fidget with the hem of her sleeves. Tilting her chin up, she feigned some dignity.

Perhaps if she could convince the brothers that she _was_ of nobility or had some sort of clan stature she would be released. The idea of trying to see her companions again tugged on her heart. Her chest clenched tight. And perhaps if they didn't think she was Senju, then she would fare better.

Sakura narrowed her eyes as the younger Uchiha's lips upturned slowly into a small smirk. The older brother feigned indifference as he brushed past her, and she turned to follow him as the younger brother waved her on. She kept her steps small and light as she closely followed, the younger brother's body heat pressing against her backside like a scalding fire.

She lifted her chin higher as they directed her to a portion of the shiro which she had never ventured before. Some clansmen stood idly by watching bemused as they passed. Most of them bowed low at the waist, and others dropped to their knees to their clan leader. Sakura nodded her head in polite greeting trying to vaguely recall how the typical clan leaders presented themselves in the meetings she attended with her Hokage.

Damn, she scuffed at herself. She wished she had paid better attention then instead of berating clan politics. It certainly would have paid off in this instance.

She heard Izuna snicker behind her and she tossed a glare over her shoulder at him. His charcoal eyes caught it and his smirk widened. She grit her teeth and almost curled a lip up at him in a snarl, but the hard jolt of ramming into Madara's back had her skittering to straighten herself.

Madara was the one now to glare over his shoulder at her and she visibly wilted under his gaze. She reasoned with herself that women in this time were _supposed_ to be timid and shy, not snarling or stumbling fools.

Her head snapped around to see him parting a shoji door. Inside she could see various cushions surrounding a low table. In the corner was a small tokonoma above an equally sized vase. Sakura frowned at the simplicity of the traditional tatami room, and she blinked in response as Madara entered casually.

Cautiously, she entered slowly stepping to the opposite side of the low table. Izuna slid the door closed behind himself before approaching the two himself. Madara sat first, followed closely by his sibling. Sakura feigned disinterest, but berated herself for not being as graceful as the Uchiha when she knocked her knee on the table with a grunt while attempting to seat herself.

Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and rested her hands in her lap. Silence stretched between them for several minutes, and unease had upset her stomach. The brothers made no move to ebb into conversation instead they focused their attention solely on her, and Sakura fought the urge to fidget under their gaze.

The handmaid was a pleasant relief when she entered to present them each with tea. The woman quietly poured them each a generous cup and excused herself. The aroma wafted up gently and Sakura hummed in pleasure. She adored green tea.

She wasn't sure when she had picked up her cup to enjoy the aroma, but she was acutely aware of the brothers staring at her. She cleared her throat again, thoroughly embarrassed.

So much for acting coy, she thought bitterly.

"Excuse me for being so rude." She placed the cup back on its saucer and folded her hands together in her lap again. "I'm sure there is much to discuss."

"How presumptuous of you." Madara spoke, his tone sarcastic and low.

Sakura grit her teeth.

"Thank you for your… kind lodgings and generous hospitality." She bowed her head and waited a moment before slowly sitting straight.

Her stomach had twisted in a tight knot and her skin was becoming warm. Sakura needed to take the edge off her anxiety quickly. Both brothers were looking more and more like predators, and she felt like a cornered rabbit. Heart thudding in her ears, she prayed a show of common decency would save her.

Izuna was shifting on his knees forward beside his brother. He was once a man she would have considered the lesser evil, but as he loomed closer she told herself that no Uchiha were lesser evils.

"Senju are not usually treated so well here, but certain exceptions have been made."

Sakura frowned and swallowed down the knot forming in her throat.

Croaking out, Sakura's fists closed. "Then perhaps it is of good measure to clear my name. I am no Senju."

Izuna was coiled like a snake, his brother though was poised in stoic calmness.

"Then what are you?" Madara asked, questioning undertones hidden in his statement.

She lifted her chin and traced back her heritage briefly. She was of no noble or noteworthy clan, and her parents were simple merchants who descended from a village along the outskirts of the Land of Fire. Her heart drummed loud her ears. Perhaps they would listen to this snippet of truth.

"Haruno." She breathed out in a whoosh of air.

Izuna's hand was darting across the table, and before she could wholeheartedly react, Madara was crushing his wrist to a sudden halt. Sakura let out a sharp gasp, and a bead of sweat dropped down the column of her neck. Izuna's features were sharp in contrast to what he had been weeks prior. Sakura wasn't sure what had changed the younger brother, but she wasn't in a position to inquire. All she knew was that he wasn't as gentle as he seemed before.

"You think we would believe that?" Izuna snarled, his tone causing the hair on her arms to stand to attention.

"And who are the Haruno?" Madara slipped in.

Dropping the charade of clan politics, Sakura shook in her seated position, anxiety skyrocketing.

"My parents are mere merchants further North by… six days travel." Sakura fumbled to scratch a life out for herself. "Please understand-"

"No merchant's daughter fights," Madara turned his heated red swirling eyes on her, "like a warrior princess."

She froze. Did they sincerely think she was a warrior princess? Did those even exist? Sakura scrambled through every bit of literature she could think of, and when her mind raced to no conclusion she openly gaped at the brothers. It was a risk she would have to take if they were willing to buy it.

Madara released Izuna's hand who was seething silently. Sakura's tense form dipped back so her full weight rested on her heels.

"Why did you attack me that day?" Madara was leaning forward now instead. His eyes spinning hypnotically.

"I...thought you were someone else." She choked out, fingers digging into her lap dangerously.

"Why did you save my brother?" Madara's palms flattened on the tabletop, his hair wildly falling over his shoulder.

Izuna was prowling forward over his edge of the table, and Sakura leaned further away, her bum falling flat on the tatami floor.

"I thought he was someone else." She could barely hear her own response over the thudding in her chest, and her hands came to support some of her weight as she tried to put distance between her and the Uchiha clansmen. She slid back further, hands bracing her.

"Who did you think we were?"

Madara was pressing forward, a hauntingly strong figure of muscle and masculinity beneath his navy yukata. She was beginning to hyperventilate as he too began to edge around the table, both brothers moved in sync, and she shuffled to free her legs from beneath her.

"I don't-"

"Who, Haruno?" Izuna mocked, stretching his arm to grab at her left ankle.

He quickly jerked her back and the wind was knocked out of her lungs as she fell flat on her back. Frozen like a deer, Sakura barely had time to register just how quickly both Uchiha were hovering over her. Her brain fizzed and her lips parted to try to squeak anything, _anything,_ out but she couldn't.

Panicked, she launched the heel of her palm up at Izuna's shoulder when he dipped in closer, and she kicked with her free leg at Madara who was hovering to her right. Izuna grunted on impact and he dropped her ankle to grab at his wounded shoulder. Madara though withstood her kick, and encircled her knee with his arm before trying to grab at her right arm with the other.

Anger and power snapped awake, and Sakura ripped her arm away. She darted up into a seated position, drawing chakra to her fist, she aimed a punch at the older Uchiha who dodged. She then, satisfied with creating some space, tried to rip her leg away from Madara. He held fast and equally jerked backwards trying to throw her onto her backside.

Thrashing, she turned to her side to use her left leg as her next weapon of choice, but Izuna recomposes to physically tackle her. The weight of his body pressed her uncomfortably onto the floor and she hissed. Snarling, she knocked her head against his and his body slumped slightly to the side and she fought to pull her leg from Madara's grip.

"Let go!" She growled, jerking her weight from beneath Izuna to grapple with Madara.

Her nails dug into the tatami mat, and she pulled her body sharply to face Madara who held firm. As she threw herself at him, fist raised and jaw tight, she made the mistake of catching the sharingan.

Her world spun red, rendering her body to slump forward into his frame. She moaned bonelessly, slipping into a disturbingly quiet sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Founding Love**

Chapter Six

"I don't _appreciate_ being carried like a sack of potatoes!"

Sakura growled from beneath her makeshift facial covering with the heat of her breath flowing painstakingly so against her skin. She shuffled on the bruising shoulder as best as she could, but found herself limited in what movements she could make with his armor digging into her sternum. She tried to shift her arms in a manner to ease the ache in her shoulders, but had no luck with them being tied tightly behind her.

She growled again.

"Do you hear me?!"

The thick body beneath her grumbled and jousted his shoulder up into her torso harshly. She grunted on impact and wiggled her bound legs to try to hit him unsuccessfully so.

"We have. Now cease your screaming. You're scaring all the game away."

Sakura roared in her own right and swung her upper body back and forth on his shoulder.

"I want down _now_!"

With her command, he suddenly dropped her. Her weight crashed to the forest floor in a heap, and she groaned into the lush grass pressing along her cheek. Sakura fumbled to roll from her side onto her back, and uselessly shimmied her way into a seated position. She huffed beneath the facial covering and when her breath bounced back she fumed.

"And take this ridiculous thing off me!"

"So demanding for such a small girl."

Sakura tilted her chin high and snarled.

"Yet so feisty for someone in her predicament."

Sakura hated judging the amusement in their voices without seeing their faces. The Uchiha brothers were taunting and teasing her, and all she wanted to do was stare them down, see if they could handle the full force of her glare.

Guaranteed, she was sure they would remain unfazed.

She had come to from her little tussle with the Uchiha brothers to find herself slung over Madara's broad shoulder. Sakura had fought the last couple days to uselessly squirm out of his hold, but his arm was wrapped around her legs, a solid mass of pure muscle, and his hand was settled firmly against the back of her thighs. Sakura shivered at how warm it had felt and the memory of it alone strung a deep chord in her. She had to mentally dislodge herself from that thought.

Madara had refused Izuna's multiple offers to switch being her 'handler', which was interesting enough, but Sakura didn't want to focus too much on it. Perhaps Madara could see how Izuna changed in demeanor towards her or maybe he was more privy to Izuna's thoughts whatever those may be. Regardless, she was not entirely happy about traveling in the forest with the brothers like a prisoner.

But wasn't that what she was? A prisoner?

Sakura had spent the hours traveling pondering the thought. She was definitely given more freedom than most would have precariously thought. The brothers kept her close, always under one of their watchful eyes, and engaged her in banter. She didn't appreciate that either, but what bothered her more was how aware of her they were.

Being watched like a hawk eyeing its prey was an unsettling sensation. One that had her instincts in overdrive, sweat beading down at the column of her spine and her fingers fumbling nervously in her bindings. It made her anxious. The coils in her stomach pitched tight.

While she could predict some banter being used to gather her trust in hopes of her 'spilling her guts', what she couldn't understand was their lack of interrogation or their insistence to keep her around.

Surely by now they would have come to the conclusion she was either trustworthy and telling the truth or that she would have to be tortured for any answers they were seeking. She did not want to encourage that though.

Sakura strained her hearing to attempt to listen in to the mumbling between the brothers. She quieted her ragged breathing and tuned out the rapid beating of her heart.

"-re tomorrow. Fill the canteens. I will set up camp."

Madara had a particular voice. His voice was a deep rumbling which could shake many foundations or one which could settle all nerves. Listening acutely, she found she enjoyed it when he wasn't demanding information or making accusations. Those times his voice was booming and overwhelming like a tidal wave of emotion.

Izuna, on the other hand, was placid and devoid of most emotions.

She frowned at the thought.

Originally when she was first put under their so called 'care', she thought Izuna to be the lesser evil. He was calmer and much gentler. His voice was soothing and almost tender when he spoke to her. Then it was as if a switch flipped in him. He suddenly was volatile and so angry. His words barbs and his tone dripping in acid. _I miss that Izuna,_ she thought, lips thinning.

Thinking back on their conversation when he went to grab her, she tried to place what triggered him. Before she could process the idea, there was a trickle of chakra drifting at the edges of her senses. It was buzzing in her ear and tickling her awareness.

"Senju." The name passed her lips before she could stop herself.

The Uchiha brothers paused in their discussion, frozen in place like firm statues. The forest was quiet except for the soft rustle of the trees in the breeze and the chirping of some birds.

"What say you?" Izuna probed, the rustling of his pants dragging her back to her present circumstances.

She turned her head, pink locks tickling her exposed collarbone where her kimono dipped open, and she swallowed thickly.

"Can't you feel them?"

There was a pregnant pause and her awareness of the trickling chakra stilled to a small hum. She focused harder with her mind's eye. She could feel two of them, massive and heavy, pulling along her presence.

"What do you speak of?" Madara seemed cautious and angry all at once.

Her blindfold was ripped off her face, and the setting sun gleamed through the tree branches above causing her to blink rapidly to adjust. She stared up into Izuna's stoic face, but could see the hesitance spilling in his dark eyes.

"There's two of them." Sakura gulped when Izuna grabbed her face, pressing his fingers into her cheeks. His own face dipping low as he bent over to assess her.

He scuffed. "No one has been following us. I've checked. Your Senju friends aren't here to help you."

"I told you they aren't my friends! And they aren't my family either!" Sakura spit out, anger rising in her chest. "And they are there! I can feel them."

Madara had stayed a few feet back, his body though turned towards the two of them. He seemed to be analyzing their interaction, but he was shifting his eyes about in a slow, steady sweeping motion as if he was trying to see what she felt.

"Izuna, check the perimeter before filling the canteens."

Izuna made an unapproving noise in his throat. "You can't trust _them_."

"Check the perimeter." Madara stated again, his voice dropping several octaves.

She shuttered. Izuna released her face and jumped into the trees to scout the area. It was a wash of relief sagging in her shoulders, however, she straightened immediately. She was left under the immense pressure of Madara. Her fingers played with the tall ends of the grass as she attempted to ground herself.

_Why did I even say that, _she thought bitterly. She wasn't sure if she did the right thing or not by alerting the brothers of the Senju, but if it meant they would trust her maybe she could work herself out of this situation entirely.

"He doesn't believe me, does he?" She muttered unused to the silent brooding of the older Uchiha.

"You claim you are not Senju, but that is not what they say." Madara began moving, a predator in his own right. Muscles taught and strong. From her place on the forest floor, she could see the ripple of tissue beneath his attire making her mouth go dry.

He was slowly stalking around her, and Sakura had to shift uncomfortably to keep him in her line of sight.

Sakura frowned and bit the inside of her cheek. "What did they say?"

His aura was powerful and thick as his chakra pressed around her. The trickle of chakra was no longer her focus. Her fingers plucked the strands of grass out aggressively. Sakura was fidgeting, anxiously trying to decide if she should break the binds or not. If she were to, she would have to come to blows with both brothers. If she opted not to, then she could try to build on some level of trust. Neither options were tangibly good for her.

"They say," he circled around her, stepping closer in towards her as he completed his circle. "You are a distant member of the clan. Not immediately related, but moreover a clansmen."

"Why would they say that?" She bit out. She snapped straight and tried to shift onto her knees, the rope around her ankles rubbing raw into her skin.

"Why would they?" Madara repeated hauntingly.

"Well, I'm not. I already told you that." Sakura chewed out, teeth flashing between pink lips.

"Why would they say otherwise?" He challenged, hair whisking around him.

Sakura huffed. "I don't know. But I do know, I'm not related to them."

"Izuna doesn't believe so, and you can tell how much he _hates_ Senju." Madara's lip was curling upwards as he continued his slow trek around her again.

"Izuna doesn't _know_ who I am!" She was ready to snarl and snap like a tigress backed into a corner, her own version of claws flashing behind her with curling hands.

"Then who are you?"

"I'm Sakura!"

"What affiliation do you have?"

"None!" She grit her teeth together, jaw grinding painfully. "What more do you want to know?"

"Who trained you?"

Sakura faulted in her opposition. She took an unsteady breath, anxiety clawing in her chest with her thudding heart, and she dug her knees into the ground. He paused in his circling, fingers grazing the top of his short sword. She followed his movements with trained eyes, and her muscles bunched under her navy kimono.

"Why did you fight me?" Madara pressed, face contorting into a smirk, hair flowing wildly behind him as his chakra whisked about.

The grass crunched underneath his black sandals and his armor clinked slightly against each plate. The wind rustled his navy pants, distracting her momentarily before she redirected her focus on his face. Sakura stretched her sore fingers debating on breaking her bindings while she still had a chance. Gulping down her nerves, the pinkette strained to keep her head above the turbulent waves of her emotions.

"And what if I was Senju?" she cautioned, bile rising in the back of her throat as she desperately tried to buy time until she could solidify her story.

"Then I would have to kill you."

Sakura paled at the thought. Sweat began to bead on her brow and her hair stood on straight end when he started moving in his slow tantalizing pace, fingers dragging along the hilt of his short blade.

"Or I could keep you as a token of battle." Sakura couldn't turn to follow him, fear curling her toes and churning her stomach.

"You wouldn't dare."

His chuckle was unsettling and she could hardly breathe when his calloused hands brushed through her long locks, smoothing through tangles and knots. She stood still, heart thundering in her ribs. His body hovered over her backside, the heat of his breath brushing the crown of her head, but the coolness of his plate armor piercing her clothing. Her skin broke out in goosebumps.

"But I could. All is fair in love and war." Madara whispered, his rumbling reply sending chills down her spine and an unexpected heat to pool in between her clenched legs.

"But there would be no love." She choked out.

"But there would be no love." Sakura could hear the sharpness of his short blade leaving the scabbard. The shrill sound ringing in her ears with his reply.

Sakura jerked when both her bindings dropped, shoulders slumping forward from their prison and her ankles slipping apart. She let out a gasp of air and whipped her head around to see Madara stepping away from her to double back to the center of the clearing they were deposited in.

"There were none, Madara." Izuna was suddenly back, kunai being shoved back into his pouch. "Exactly as I suspected."

"We'll remain on high alert for now." Madara began settling in, the sun's last streams of light behind him, lighting him in an unearthly glow.

Sakura had sat in her spot for quite some time, unable and unwilling to move. She hadn't expected the night to fall so quickly nor the brothers to move in coordinating fashions to prepare for the night. They had set a small fire in the center, embers burning bright and casting shadows along their faces.

Sakura had watched closely and numbly as they each divided up portions of meat for the evening, the smell of charred flesh burning her nostrils. She hadn't taken any as it sat in front of her, her nerves too jumbled for her to risk upsetting her stomach. She hadn't made a noise, not even a peep, when the brothers seemed to inch closer. Perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her, Madara's words from earlier playing through her head.

Curiosity peaked when both brothers set to studying her.

"Where are you taking me?" Sakura mused, her soft words coating the night's warm breeze.

Silence stretched between them, and Sakura, not used to such thick silence, struck bravely again. Her chin tilted upwards a tad, and she longingly stared into the blazing flame.

"Why are you keeping me?"

"Prisoners don't get to ask the questions." Izuna responded, fingers curling into a fist in his lap.

Madara was more lax though, perhaps tongue loose from their earlier exchange. He was leaning up against a tree, one leg stretched before him, the other bent at the knee where he propped his arm up on. His hand was spinning a kunai, long fingers slipping around the blade as it passed in each loop.

"We are headed to an encampment on the outskirts of our territory." He supplied, thick hair tumbling in waves over his shoulder as he cocked his head to the side to better gauge her.

"Why?" Sakura cringed as the corners of his lips turned upward slightly.

"You do ask too many questions." His tone was lighter, almost hinting at a tease.

"If you answered, then I wouldn't have to ask so many." She retorted with a snap, mind running rampant.

Izuna made a disapproving noise on the other side of her. He crossed his arms across his chest, hands clenching in the fabric of his black shirt.

"I don't trust Senju with any information. You've received more than enough, so be grateful." Izuna grumbled, his own hair ruffling in the evening breeze.

"I'm not Senju, regardless of what you may think." Sakura's attention flickered back and forth between the powerful brothers. "I don't know how else to prove it to you."

The brothers shared a look, one she couldn't quite place, and one she wasn't sure she wanted to understand or analyze. Confusion swam through her though as the set of brothers kept combing over her. She rubbed her wrists timidly where the binds had scratched the skin raw.

"That shall be proven yet." Izuna's cryptic answer had her cringing further.

There was an unease waivering over them, and Sakura tried her best to mask her own tension. She sighed, laying down onto the cool earth with her back to the Uchiha, her arm curling under her head to cushion herself. She rubbed a worn hand over her face, and tried to think of easier times.

Her brain wasn't wired in such a way however as instant memories of Sasuke and Naruto flooded her tension wrought dreams.

What was worse though was the unexpected dream she woke up to.

Sakura was in the heat of battle, sweat dripping down her chin, blood fresh on her palms, and the wind rushing around her form as she weaved through waves of kunai and shuriken. She dodged several before dipping down to the ground to roll out of the way of a particular nasty explosive. Sakura jumped up, heaving as she threw a chakra laden punch to the ground, shattering rock jutting up as a lithe, muscular body jumped into the sky.

She hissed as she threw her hands into the signs to create a clone, but her efforts were thwarted when she realized she was layered by a thick genjutsu. Dispelling it quickly, she had enough time to catch the fist of her opponent in her small hand. They exchanged a few blows, fists reeling back to abuse soft flesh, and Sakura felt the rush of adrenaline as his rib cracked from under her clenched hand finally. She dared a small victory 'cha!'.

He grabbed her forearm to her latent chagrin, dragging her closer to him as he towered over her. The energy crackled around the two formidable shinobi to explode in tidal waves of clashing chakra. She kicked upwards, adjusting her body low to her center of gravity to pull the man over her shoulder. She caught the side of his gleaming armor with her leg, and he groaned, but was not moved by her attack.

Instead, he used his weight to crash them both to the ground, dust kicking up around them. She coughed and wheezed beneath him, her body trapped. Sakura tried to wiggle out from under him, but he pressed closer in, dropping his full weight on her petite body.

Fire blazed between them, and she parted her lips to gasp as his hips ran flush into hers. His manhood, thick and long, ground into her womanhood, a rippling sensation of pleasure writhing up. Her spine arched high like a cat, distended nipples rubbing along his clothed chest even through her own torn clothing, and she clawed at the material of his navy shirt. His own hands wound into her hair at the base of her skull, tilting her head back and his forehead dropped to rest on her chin.

A moan ripped from her throat, and Sakura squeezed her eyes shut when his tongue slipped past his lips to draw down her throat pausing on her pulse. Sakura moaned again.

"Madara-"

With a start, Sakura threw herself up in a panic. Eyes blinking into the darkness around the camp, Sakura ran a shaky hand through her locks, and her legs clenched together, rubbing in a delicious way to soothe the pulsation between her thighs.

_What on Earth,_ she groaned. _Why, please?_

Panting, she caught Izuna moving discreetly against his makeshift post. She flushed when he pointedly stared at her. Even in the darkness of the early morning, Sakura could see the curling of his lips upwards and she prayed it wasn't obvious what she had been dreaming of.

Excusing herself to relieve herself, she stood with wobbly legs, body too tired and flushed to fully function just yet.

"Don't travel too far, Senju."

Sakura glared over her shoulder at him as she stepped into the tree line. "It's Sakura. You used it before, so use it now."

Izuna's cheeks puffed up slightly, as if he was debating on making a particularly nasty retort, but movement from the edge of the camp stopped him. Madara approached, face scrunched in contemplation, and Sakura flushed red. She scurried off quickly hoping to avoid sharing any embarrassing details.

When she came back through the foliage, sunlight was beginning to stream through the overhead branches. It was calm and serene, a feeling of lightness and peace. It amazed her how different this era was in comparison to the hustle of her time, but she relished the moment altogether.

None too surprisingly, both Uchiha brothers were ready to go with their weapons clasped appropriately and both turned towards her direction as if waiting solely for her.

She supposed they were, as she was their only captive audience, but she couldn't grasp the idea of them waiting _patiently only for her._ Men typically as good looking as the Uchiha brothers hardly waited for anyone.

Sakura gawked at her own mental thought.

Indignantly, she stomped forward trying her best to dispel whatever crossed her mind and whatever was apparently in her subconscious. She refused to think about the inherently good looks Uchiha seemed to have and instinctively how her mind was trapped in some warped sense of humor regarding said handsome men.

Their masculinity drowned her incoherent thoughts as the material of their clothes bunched along taught muscles when they simultaneously adjusted their traveling packs bringing her back to her current situation. Sakura gulped and her fingers busied themselves in their nervous fidgeting.

"We're heading out." Izuna barked crossing the clearance quickly, a cloth dangling from his grip. "Let's get moving."

"I don't need that!" Sakura waved her hands defensively in front of her as she backed away.

"Yes, you do." Izuna snapped, grabbing her flailing arm to yank her into his chest.

Grunting on impact, she defiantly shoved at his chest. They stood wrestling with each other's limbs before he gained control. She huffed, arms pressed into his solid body as he reached around her head to tie the blindfold.

"Don't bind her ankles." Madara commanded, her head jerking up in his direction. "Bind her hands in front of her."

They both froze at the older Uchiha's demand, her forgotten in Izuna's arms. Her heart rate picked up and she unknowingly leaned into Izuna's warmth, upper limbs locked between the space of their bodies.


	7. Chapter 7

**Founding Love**

Chapter Seven

Sakura was bathing in the sunlight, the heat warming her pale skin and the breeze drifting daintily by, shifting the material of her kimono. The corners of her lips tilted upward in a small smile and she envisioned the greenery of the forest around her.

She had been bound for what felt like hours now with the blindfold securing her lack of sight. She still counted though the amount of paces it was from their last stop. _27,143,_ she thought, estimating some of the paces between the lengthy jumps. Sakura sighed inwardly.

Planning her escape had been hard.

Frowning, she edged her fourteenth plan into a skeletal foundation. Based on the chirping and the rays of sunlight hitting her, she knew they were still in the forest. _Westbound to be exact, _she gauged, tilting her head into the sunlight. _Yes, definitely westbound. The sun is always behind us and has been steadily shifting above us instead._

With the wind whipping gently around her, she shifted in her captors hold, ribs aching as she rearranged herself on his hard, unyielding shoulder plate. She preferred Izuna's shoulder as it was softer, but she hated how tight his grip was. She knew without looking that there would be large purple blotches of bruises on the back of her thighs from him. Madara, though uncomfortable from her standpoint, was much more confident and lax in his hold. His gloved hands were firm, but not gouging into her legs.

Sighing loudly, Sakura redirected her thoughts.

If they were heading westward, then she could assume they were still within a day's worth of travel from the encampment. The brothers had packed seemingly light enough to be in no shortage of supplies, but yet with enough perhaps to last should something arise. Both had an ample amount of weapons, more than necessary, and she had determined this based on the summoning scrolls and the clinking of metal which would ring through her ears.

Being so close to the border though, they were packed in case they were to be ambushed.

Sakura prayed it would happen.

Reflecting on her history lessons, ones she had quickly passed over while in the academy, she judged that the warring clans were currently only limited to two other foes for the Uchiha- the Senju and Hyuuga.

Her senses flared to life at the thought. If it were Senju, then she could easily slip into their hold with the distraction and prey upon the supposed gentle heart of their clan head. Hyuuga on the other hand would be uncharted territory. She could slip away, but then she would have to worry about facing another untrustworthy clan. One of which she knew would slaughter her before asking questions. Outsiders were _never_ welcome

She relaxed her sudden rise in chakra when she felt her captor's hair begin to bristle. Sakura chastised herself. _Stay cautious, girl. _She sucked on the back of her teeth. _They aren't developed sensors. Yet._

She grunted when his shoulder bounced harshly into her abdomen.

Growling, she flicked her tickling hair over her shoulder away from her neck. "Watch it."

The man didn't respond, and she turned her head as if to appear over her shoulder down at him. She could feel the way his own mane shifted, and she sensed he was tilting to glance back at her. Her brows touched together in a strong furrow.

He jostled her again sharply, and a cat like hiss escaped her snarling lips.

His shoulders quacked beneath her body. He was mocking her again, an alarming pastime he had picked up over the past day or so, and she gritted her teeth and squirmed angrily. The older Uchiha clenched tightly in warning on her legs, and she stilled. After a moment's pause, his fingers released their scorching grip.

Sakura blew a long steaming breath from her nose and forced herself to focus on the sun's rays on her cheek. Her ears perked when Madara commanded his brother.

"Izuna, scout ahead and send the messenger hawk."

"Right away."

Madara paused, her body abruptly jerking on his shoulder. Her bound hands tried to clench at his backside to steady herself, but her fingers scraped against the cool armor. She listened attentively to Izuna's feet scratching against the bark of a tree and the rustle of the leaves to know he had taken to the treetops. Sakura heard nothing then. The silence of the forest masking his departure.

_Now it's just us,_ she gulped down a pang of fear and anxiously fiddled her fingers to touch along the plates. The nervous habit helped to ease her bubbling anxiety.

They stood like that for what felt like a dream.

The bird chipped above, and the forest became alive again. She could hear the sparrows singing and the wind rustling the overhead foliage. Lower to the floor, she could hear the scurrying of some small animals, their little excited squeaks and feet scratching at the grass.

This couldn't be the same forest that Konoha had hid itself in, could it?

Sakura beat down the drums of curiosity and wonderment. Even more so, she beat down the recognition to save herself from the sharp edge of pain as the idea of home struck a fine chord in her.

Konoha couldn't have been built here.

A loud squawk overhead startled her. She jumped unexpectedly and a wave of embarrassment crashed through her when her captor clutched onto her shaking legs. Her unseeing eyes darted about behind the blindfold, and she tried to locate the sound. _The hawk, _she thought as it sounded again piercing the air, _its overhead._

"I will give you one warning, and only one." The timber of his voice broke the magic of the forest around them. Sakura shuttered.

"You will do _exactly_ as I tell you _without_ question. And if you dare try to flee or defy me," he punctuated this statement with a sharp grab at the tender flesh of her thigh, his fingers curling harshly into her and she hissed again. Hot tears leaked at the corner of her eyes drenching her lashes. "Do you understand me?"

Sakura nodded in haste, the pain shooting up the nerve in her leg in a lightning quick form. Her legs clenched together tightly and she grew rigid, back arching and fingers clawing at his red armor. Her nails scraped along the worn plates with enough force to make divets.

"Do you understand me?" He drew again. This time his hand spread across the back of her thigh, long fingers dipping in between her legs to grab her right thigh entirely and he squeezed harshly.

"Yes!" She blurted eagerly, her thighs pressing closed still to stop his assault.

She momentarily thought of crushing his hand between her legs, but thought better as she heard more rustling from behind her. She released the tension in her legs as she listened to a small whistle from thirty feet away. The pitch reminded her of how close the other enemy was.

Madara's hand relaxed as her legs separated, and she felt mildly rewarded when his fingers ghosted along the bruised flesh shooting a wave of heat upwards, her stomach clenching in quick assertion to the motion. One which would have been more pleasant had she not been mortified by who had done it.

They were moving again, slightly slower than before, and her shaky hands tried to find purchase again in his back plates. She became startled, lost in her thoughts, when Izuna's voice rang out close by.

She hadn't realized how close he had come.

"There's been some more developments in the encampment. They don't look too good." Sakura blanched at the worried tone in Izuna's voice.

"Hn." Madara acknowledged, the sound so deep her abdomen rippled in response. Sakura fought squirming.

"What will you do?" Izuna pressed, voice low as to conceal his worry. Sakura strained to hear, unconsciously tipping her head closer to the source.

"I will assess it once we arrive."

Sakura's mind raced. _What developments? Why am I even here?_ She dropped the ideas of her escape plan and pieced together a new puzzle. War had its consequences and perhaps that's why she was being brought to the encampment. Clearly Izuna didn't want her there since the beginning, but it had to have been something important enough that the clan head would see otherwise. _What could Madara be thinking?_

Instinct drove her and she realized soon enough as the scent of burnt skin and ash clashed into her nostrils. Her nose scrunched when the air grew thick and the wind rushed by without hindrance. They were entering a clearing, one perhaps big enough to house a small army, she proposed. She had lost the sounds of the woods around them as it became replaced by the clanging of metal and shredding of material. She could hear the heavy murmurs of a crowd, deeper throngs of men's voices, and Sakura could hardly stop her muscles from tensing.

But what alerted her more was the tightness of Madara's shoulders drawing up. The shoulder plate pressed into her abdomen and scrapped under her rib cage. She took a sharp intake of air, and struggled along the plates to keep from slipping. His hand was replaced by his arm, a steel band against her thighs just above the back of her knees. His hand coiling around the front of her left leg closest to his center.

The aura around him shifted and became nearly suffocating in its weight. Sakura's own hair stood on end, and a shiver trickled down her sore spine to be replaced with a stifling heat. She could feel the bristling of his chakra, a molten lava coursing through him, and she was being scorched as it rose to beneath the surface of his skin. He was being precautious and was showboating it seemed, and even then, she knew he was shifting into what a clan leader was to be poised as.

What _their_ clan leader was.

Strong and unyielding. A scorching inferno.

He was becoming the fire itself and it matched perfectly the picture her mind was creating of the encampment, of what he was said to be in the history books.

Sakura could practically feel the heat of their gaze on her as the pair entered, and she knew Madara noticed as well. His own arm on her legs beginning to squeeze the thick muscle. As he began to dive deeper into the unpleasant scent of ash, the murmurs quieted around them. The clanging of metal halted and she could hear the shuffling of fabric and heavy footfalls. Their boots scuffed to halt, and Sakura imagined them forming a line to become presentable to the Uchiha head.

These were definitely soldiers, all of whom were clearly paying respects to their immovable leader. And she just _happened_ to be trapped in the center of it all.

"Izuna," Madara rumbled. Sakura could feel his head jerking ahead, the muscles of his neck bunching.

She assumed the younger of the two was already moving ahead when Madara slowed to a stop. Her breath stopped with it, and the anxiety pooling in her stomach started to churn thickly.

His arm loosened and his other hand pressed into her lower back. She could feel the heat of his touch through the layer of kimono. Her skin was alive, bristling and warming around her. She shook momentarily as it prickled along her core, and her nerves began to fry. _No, _she thought.

Sakura tilted her head up and back determined to remain strong under the immense pressure knowing the people around them were watching like the hawk circling above them in the forest. Sakura's own fire stirred in her belly. She fought this leader of theirs, and she'd be damned to be swallowed by his fire.

She promised herself to remain as strong as the flame. The fire of Konoha was stroked in her at that moment. She would not befall her sense of honor. So as he lowered her to the ground, her body running along the front of his armor, Sakura stood tall on her sore legs ignoring the ache in her stomach and along her back. Her hands were clenched tight and her wrists were raw from their bindings, but she dropped her arms in front of her squaring her shoulders as if nothing was wrong.

Sakura was a proud kunoichi and she'd present herself as nothing less.

He spun her around quickly. Without her sight, she became disoriented and dizzy. Nausea swam up and bile started to rise in her chest. From either her anxiety or the quick motion, she wasn't sure, but she swallowed it down fast.

Madara moved quickly to shove her in front of himself, but he was never too far. She could feel his scorching heat licking her backside and she pushed herself forward with no fear of what was in front of her. Her sandals scrapped the ground and she cursed the Uchiha bastards for not giving her her attire back.

His heavy hand was suddenly pressing in her shoulder to stop her from trailing ahead and he guided her another few paces before stopping her. She could feel him reaching around her, and she tensed immensely, fighting her instinct to flinch away. He was moving her again, her head brushing what felt like a tarp.

Sakura froze once inside. She could smell the putrid stench of infection and blood. The metallic notes were easy to pick up and she surmised it was a lot of blood. _Too much blood._ Sakura frowned.

When Madara stepped up behind her, she could hear the rustling of the tarp falling in place.

She was in a medical tent, she assumed.

Her assumption was clear as the blindfold was ripped from her, but the horror before her eyes was not anywhere what she expected.

Sakura gasped, hands flying to cover her open mouth at the onslaught of children. _Children! _They laid on bloodied cots covered in stains of various shades. Shades of red through brown. _How many have bled out on these cots._ Biles rose again in her throat and she fought the urge to gag.

Her emerald eyes dipped over rows and rows of them, of all different ages and conditions. Fear and anger gripped her throat, her fists shaking. Without thinking, she broke the bindings at her wrist with a snap and dove for the closest cot. Some older shinobi pitched forward, but she diligently ignored them.

"What happened? How could you-" Sakura scrambled for words as her fingers ghosted over the groaning boy. Her medic intuition scrambled to assess the damage and she let her eyes shift to the boy's. His was squeezed shut, sweat beading down his brow.

She turned sharply to glare at Madara. "He can't be more than four! Four!" She was screeching indignantly, all her anger that was building up over the past several weeks came crashing in tidal waves.

"How could you send them to war?!" She was shaking fiercely, hands fisting at the material of the boys' hakamas.

"They are able body shinobi." Madara did not even seem fazed.

"They are _children_!" Sakura could feel the hot angry tears pricking at the back of her eyes. "Children don't deserve this! What kind of monster sends _children _to war?"

Madara was looming forward, his chakra boiling around her, and she could feel the weight of it pressing down on her. Her own chakra was bubbling beneath the surface and her temper was only fueling it more. Her jaw snapped shut and she sneered at the man.

"Children don't have the luxury of staying sheltered. They learn to kill or be killed." Madara was fuming. Sakura could see the tension riding his shoulders and his own hands were fisting at his sides.

The tension was thick and she could cut it with a knife. Izuna stepped behind his brother, his own face stoic and harsh. She snarled like an angry beast, whipping back around to focus on the boy.

She cooed softly to him, the medic in her tender. She surveyed the damage by gently peeling away the opening of his navy kimono. Blood had seeped through the bandaging around his abdomen and she gently stripped it away with calloused fingers. The child had been penetrated in the abdomen by some sort of long blade. She squinted at the bruised skin. It wasn't jagged or tattered, but it was deep. The stench though had her cringing.

She gingerly whipped the back of her hand over his sweating face and whispered, "It's going to be ok, son. You will be alright. Stay strong for me, ok?"

Sakura called over her shoulder. "I need two basins of water, some washcloths, and some thread with a needle."

Hearing nothing, she turned her head over her shoulder to glare menacingly at the gathering Uchiha. "Now!"

Some jumped at the commanding tone in her voice, and a few darted their eyes between her and Madara. She locked gazes with him and dared him to defy her orders.

"Do as she says." She twisted back to the boy as the men clambered around her.

Sakura darted her gaze over the room. "Who is the head medic here?"

Izuna spoke then. "There is none."

"Then who has been taking care of them?!" She fumed, rolling the sleeves of her navy kimono up and tucking her legs in a more comfortable position.

One older man stepped forward, his wrinkled hands clenching tightly the two bowls. Sakura sized him up, deeming him somewhat worthy as he brought them to her side. She searched his own eyes momentarily.

"Organize them based on severity of wounds. I want all of them cloistered in groups so I can tell who needs tending to first. Anyone under the age of 12 is to go first in those groups, understand?"

His nod was satisfying enough.

Sakura thought back to how she handled the fourth shinobi war medic tents. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was going to hate herself.

"I need you to listen closely. I will need as much antiseptic as possible." At his questioning look, she ground her teeth together. "I'll make a list of herbs needed. Have someone fetch them as quickly as possible and bring it to me. I'll show you how to make it, but you'll need to share it with everyone, so I'll leave you responsible for teaching the others. I then will need you to assign any able hand to cleaning the wounds while I start making my rounds."

Sakura grabbed his arm, forcing him to look at her as the gathering Uchiha became standoffish.

"I don't care how much you fucking hate outsiders and I don't care if you don't like taking orders from a woman, but you'll do as I say if you want to save their lives. Got it?"

She steeled her gaze and forced as much of her anger into her face as she could. The old man nodded vigorously and she took the time to shift her piercing gaze into each of the men's faces. One by one, they either nodded or looked away.

"Now go."

She didn't care to check to see if they were following her orders, and she blatantly ignored the Uchiha brothers in favor of cooing to the boy again. She dipped a cloth into the basin closest to her to clean the wound. When the boy moaned and tried to turn away, she could hear the men shifting closer to protect him. When her hands glowed green, she could hear one particular man begin to protest.

She tuned them out and began knitting the wound closed while cooing gently to the boy. "It may hurt a little bit, but you're doing great. It's almost over."

She forced more chakra into him, and the little boy shifted uncomfortably. She dipped a hand into the basin gathering it into a bubble that she pushed into his abdomen. He shook and screamed out, the sound vibrating around them, and that's when Madara's hand grabbed her arm.

Startled out of her meditative state, she looked into his glaring red eyes. Sakura's lips thinned into a pressed line.

"I won't let these children die here."

Madara's hand squeezed her forearm tightly.

"He'll die if you let the infection spread. I _need _to do this."

Sakura wasn't sure what convinced him to let her go nor what convinced him to let her continue, but she continued to pull the now dark green bubble out from his abdomen. She dropped it into the ground beside the cot where the distinct smell of puss rose. She continued like this until the boy stopped screaming and writhing in pain.

"If they die, you'll suffer a worse fate." Madara's warning laid heavy on her, but seeing the sheer amount of children across the tent had her heart clenching painfully.

If the kids died, she would suffer a fate worse. A fate of remorse and regret.

She couldn't save everyone, she knew she couldn't, but she'd be damned if she didn't try to.

Sakura dived into cleaning the wound and sealing it as best as she could to preserve her chakra. She began stitching the rest of his wound closed and the men around her watched in sheer awe.

The Uchiha clan then moved in tandem with her, and eagerly began to separate the wounded into the tiers she recommended. It moved quickly and she began stitching holes together and setting bones. She barked orders which were done swiftly and without a hitch. Sakura's heart swelled every time she touched a boy too young, most between the ages of four and seven. The older shinobi took to waiting to be treated, and eyed her cautiously. But that didn't bother her as much as the Uchiha brothers watching her with vigor.

_And they should_, because war meant not trusting outsiders and she was far from being a clansmen.

Several hours and people later, she looked on at the resting group with a sense of satisfaction. Her bravado was won and her ego stroked at seeing the majority healing well. She had only lost two today as they were too far gone.

She sighed into her sleeve, whipping her own sweat from her brow. She was depleted and tired, but that was nothing in comparison to the wounded.

A movement to her left had her turning to watch the approaching Uchiha.

"Come." Izuna beckoned, face devoid of all emotions.

Sakura gulped down a sudden growing anxiety, stepping forward to follow him. Madara was standing at the opening to the tent, arms cross in front of his torso. His own gaze fixated on her. She paused next to the older man who was dressing one of the younger boys.

He had been a major help, quickly attending to whatever she needed. She had been startled a few times as he switched his sharingan on to study her hands or follow what she was teaching him, but she had squashed her nerves as the time passed.

"They'll need to checked on periodically through the night. Please, call for me if I am needed." She spoke softly, hand resting briefly on his tense shoulder.

His slightly tanned face turned up to her and he bowed his head politely. "Thank you, miss?"

"Sakura." She answered. "Please call me Sakura."

"Sakura-san," he tested, glancing at Izuna. "Thank you."

She dipped her head politely before trudging forward. Izuna was watching with a burning intensity. One which caused her spine to snap straight, and she lifted her chin defiantly as he narrowed his eyes at her.

He didn't dare speak a belittling word to her now. Afar as she could tell, they owed her. Sakura sucked on her teeth. Whatever debt she had was paid, she thought.

As the pair approached Madara, she tipped her head in a slight bow.

"My performance good enough for you?" She snapped under his scrutiny.

"We shall see." Was his cryptic response.

Nonetheless, they were moving from the tent. The sun dipped low into the west as it settled, and Sakura cringed at how quick the time had passed. Despite the low cast of the sunlight, Sakura drank in the surroundings. She had been right. It was a large encampment of shinobi warriors. Some were working on repairing their weapons while others were fixing their banners.

Sakura studied it as much as she could while begrudgingly following the clan head. Izuna was stalking behind her, his body enclosing her close to the body of Madara. He was trapping her in between their bodies, her escape routes blocked. She wouldn't try though. She counted the Uchiha clansmen and doubted she could take them all even if she didn't factor in the brothers.

_There's too many,_ her fingers clenched the fabric of her kimono sleeves. _There's nothing I can do now until we're on the move._

Sakura's world felt small suddenly. The realization of her entrapment colliding with her. Her heart began pounding heavily in her chest and she tried frantically to find an escape. As if sensing her turmoil, Madara turned his head,flitted his eyes over her before turning back ahead.

Her stomach was churning again and she nearly jumped out of her skin as Izuna's hand pressed into the middle of her back before snaking up and across her shoulder blades to rest on her shoulder.

_Trapped,_ she swallowed, _I'm trapped._


	8. Chapter 8

**Founding Love**

Chapter Eight

**A.N:** Morning, sunshine! Can I share with you how happy I am to have received the feedback/reviews that I have considering it's been a few hours? Extremely! Now I will say, I typically don't like leaving author notes anymore, but I wanted to give you all some food for thought.

I know most reviews have been centered around Madara being a bitch or questioning Izuna's 180 which are both beautiful things! It means I've done a good job of leading you all in a different direction. I wanted to share a different side of what Madara than what Sakura has seen in battle, she only knows him as that battle mad man. I've spent a smidge of time writing him the way I have to leave you all just as confused as she would be, but here's that food for thought: I also spent a good mention of her noticing him building himself into this clan's head role. You read her acknowledging him shifting into this inferno of a man. What if he wasn't always this man of power? What if he had to mold himself into that person, and we're seeing him put on and off this mask?

Now with Izuna, I don't explicitly say it, but in the series we know he has a large amount of disdain for Senju, and I write him in the sense of what disdain he would suddenly have for her if he found out she was one. We know she isn't, but he wouldn't know the truth nor would he be too keen on believing her. This is the exciting part because we're just at a loss as she would be with how little she knows of him. She doesn't completely understand him, so how could she change it?

Now a lot of reviews are confused about Sakura and how she is. My food for thought is this: war and loss leave us in very vulnerable states despite how strong we may be. She's lost her love, she lost her friends and family, and she's been tossed back into a timeline where she's dealing with people and places she's only read about. It's confusing and she seemingly has no control over the situation which would explain why she's reacted as she has. PTSD makes us do crazy things and trauma has us acting out in ways we normally wouldn't even if we're the most weathered. We'll see her develop back into the strong character we know, but she has to ride this wave out as any other thing. However, think of how a caged animal would respond once she fully acknowledges being trapped. She finally says it to herself at the end of the last chapter that she is, how will she move forward?

I briefly want to mention how she's plunged back into the familiarity of caring for others, especially a vulnerable population. There are worse things than death here. From experience, you're always haunted by the faces of the people you can't save, especially those of kids. And when in war, you don't have the opportunity to save them all, but she has the opportunity to do so and does here regardless of which side it's on. Her humanity takes shape here, and we'll see how the Uchiha respond.

Hopefully this helps, but we're going to get more development and action here. This is where the story really takes off.

Happy reading!

* * *

No sooner than they entered the largest tent, luxuriously decorated did she receive the brunt of Izuna's anger. Sakura was

scathing hot as she was whirled around to face the unkind face of Izuna. His hand clamped on her lower jaw tightly and he was snarling in her face like a rabid animal. She raised her lip in response, hand daring to grab his wrist none too gently.

"Act your place, woman!" Izuna was growling, nearly foaming at the mouth.

"I am!" She chewed out, spit spraying against his nearing face. "What the fuck is wrong with you? I _saved_ those people! _Your_ people!"

His teeth were dangerously flashing in front of her, his blazing red eyes narrowing at her. His hand was painfully squeezing her jaw, slightly shaking her head, and she grabbed his high collared shirt dragging his face closer. She dared to stare openly at his sharingan, fear pitted down in the recesses of her mind.

"If one more of them dies-"

"Izuna."

Madara's voice must have startled the brother from his tantrum, and Sakura squeezed his wrist tighter, the tissue of his pale skin beginning to redden under her grasp. He hissed trying to jerk his wrist away without letting go of her face. Sakura growled again, pulling him forward by his collar so their noses were brushing.

"I wouldn't put kids to death. Not the way you all have."

Sakura felt Madara's blazing heat at her backside, a tell all warning of his approach, but she ignored it to threateningly raise her chakra. Madara's hand was threading into her hair and pulling it sharply back. She released the front of Izuna's navy shirt to glare bewildering at the older Uchiha.

"How sheltered were you as a child?" The timber of tone had her squeezing her eyes shut as he jerked her head back farther to peer better at her. "They have to learn somehow least they be killed. We are no different than the others, but ours will live to grow strong."

Sakura wasn't sure when she began shaking her head violently nor when the tears began to pool. She did know her heart was reaching out to those kids. She could see the fear in their faces, how much pain they were in. Sakura couldn't justify the senseless violence they had encountered.

"They're only kids. They shouldn't have to-"

"No, they shouldn't, but they have to."

Sakura's fight was dwindling. She knew they had to because how else would they live if invaded? How else could they fight back if another clan was raging through their walls? Flashing before her eyes, she thought of how terrified she was as a genin when Gaara's tailed beast took control of him and when Orochimaru began his own pillaging of her precious village. She thought of how the people around them screamed and ran, how the terror fueled them as the walls crashed, Sakura shuttered, defeated momentarily.

_When does it end,_ Sakura thought, taking in a deep breath.

Madara's hand was releasing her hair, and she dropped her head back in front of her to study the younger of the two. His lip was still curled up particularly nastily, but at least his hand was no longer crushing her lower jaw. She smoothed her lips into a thin line, pink brows tipped into a frown.

Izuna began to retreat and she refused him this moment of victory. She held firm on his wrist and dragged him in effectively trapping him to her.

"You don't have to worry about them dying as much as you." She warned, snapping her teeth together like daggers.

Sakura doubted it was a good decision when his hand shot forward simultaneously as Madara grabbed onto the back of her neck. Izuna's fingers were curled again around her chin, his nails digging into her freckled skin.

"You don't scare me, little girl." He bit out, dramatically leaning forward.

Her temper got the best of her and she ground out, "And you don't scare me."

Defiantly staring into his sharingan, she dropped his wrist with a hiss. Izuna stood for a pregnant pause before storming out of the tent, disbelief swirling in his eyes. Madara though was still pressed into her backside, his hand firm on the back of her neck. Surprisingly, he wasn't squeezing threateningly, nor was he controlling the movement of her head. Instead, his fingers were ghosting along the column of her neck.

Sakura shivered involuntarily.

"You'll eventually get burned playing with fire, kunoichi."

She gulped down the anxiety doubling in her chest as her heart ran rampant. Her adrenaline was long gone now as his nimble fingers worked gently into the muscle of her neck. She almost sighed softly when his hand slipped away, but the heat of his body lingered longer as he drifted away from her.

Sakura dared to slowly turn around, facing the man but entirely was entirely grateful he was already stepping from her. He was shedding himself of his armor, the buckles crinkling as he unlatched them. She stood awkwardly, fiddling with her kimono sleeves as he continued to divest himself of his armor. The metal clanked as he dropped it beside a futon.

Quickly she averted her attention to her surroundings as he continued to disarm himself. She studied the large tent with vigor instead. The center had a fire pit made of stone and a few futons laid out encircling the pit. There were various weapon racks where long swords laid and a peculiar chest sat beside it.

"There are fresh garb in there," she glanced at Madara who was nodding in the direction of the chest. "You may change into one."

Her brows shot high into her hairline at the suggestion, but she glanced down at her own soiled kimono and sighed. She could see the splotches of blood and dirt clinging to the material and new she would have to change.

She fiddled with her sleeves again before carefully taking the long way around the fire pit to reach the chest opposite of where he stood. Sakura could feel the burning of his gaze and grew wary as she opened the chest. There laid a few kimonos similar to the one she wore, thick and dark. In the center though was the Uchiha emblem glaring into her soul sourly.

Sakura bit back an angry snarl.

Still, she pulled it out, folding it in her lap to peak underneath to find more of the same. _Great,_ she thought sarcastically.

"You will wear it proudly." He was stalking forth, a slow daunting pace quickening her heart rate. Even without his armor, he was a mighty force in her vision.

His black shirt clung to his broad shoulders, dipping open slightly at his chest. His pants billowed with his gait and she swallowed down the lump in her throat as his hair seemingly floated behind him. She shook herself mentally and stood at his impending approach.

"I want nothing to do with the Uchiha." She bit out, pulsating in the rising heat in her lower stomach.

"You don't have a choice."

She froze at his words at a loss of response. She chewed her unconsciously and opted to lift her chin in open defiance.

"I always have a choice." She answered, hiding the quiver in her response.

Madara was still stalking forward, a smirk tipping the corner of his lips upward. She thrusted the kimono at him hoping to create a barrier between them. He surprised her still by folding his grip over her hand, pushing the kimono back to her body.

"You've made your choice."

He was gone in a whisper of power, his body grazing hers as he passed. Her legs shuttered and the depth of her emotions coursed through her in steady tidal waves. She finally crashed when she heard the tarp flap back into place. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding. Running a hand through her locks, she fitted her sights on the kimono he had deposited her with.

The emblem blazed brightly in contrast to the black background.

Sakura barely managed to drag herself up to change, her dirtied kimono falling to the ground. She stepped out of it and begrudgingly wrapped herself in the much larger kimono, wrapping herself snuggly in it. Inhaling deeply, ash and smoke filling her senses, Sakura stooped low to pick up the soiled one, folding it evenly before setting it near the farthest futon from where Madara had dropped his armor.

Sleep pulled at her mind and she eased herself down into a deep slumber, her chakra humming gently.

Her sleep was plagued with fond memories. She could practically feel Naruto's bouncing energy as he sped after her while she ran through the forest laughing. She could hear Sasuke's nearly inaudible sigh as he was dragged into the ramen shop, her and Naruto pulling at each arm excitedly. And she definitely could see Kakashi peaking over his book at their mischievous pranks trying to unearth his face behind his mask.

Her dream then shifted into a nightmare. She could smell the burning of flesh and smoke filling her lungs. She could hear the cries of mothers over the loss of their children. She could only watch as the walls crumbled around the village, people running amuck. Sakura could only stand, frozen in terror as Orochimaru's snake venomously ravaged the town. His mouth swallowing people whole, fangs glinting in the sun. Tears streamed down her face as she was helpless to stop the horror from unveiling.

It then began morphing, but the fear clinging to her chest jolted her. It was all too real.

This is how she woke.

Sweat was beading over her pink brows, chest heaving as her heart thudded dangerously in its cavity. Her hands flew to her face clutch at her flushed cheeks. Her eyes darted about in unknown terror and settled on the brothers who were huddled near the center fire. Panic blossomed. Could they see her terror ground in her wide eyes? Could they hear her heart rapidly beating? Could they feel her chakra lashing out around her in a suffocating pattern?

Sakura shot up, watching as the brothers studied her, muscles bunching at her abrupt stance. Sakura couldn't breath under their scrutiny and grabbed at her chest wildly.

She needed out.

"I-" she could barely part her lips to speak, her mind racing in every direction. She had to get out. She needed to frantically settle on a momentary escape. "I need to check on the children."

Sakura was moving quickly, darting away from their all seeing eyes, and once she was out of the tent, the tarp flapping closed behind her then she could breath. She sucked down the evening air greedily. It began cooling and prickling her skin in the starlight.

Sakura closed her eyes not wishing to see the other clansmen she knew would be lingering awake. She practically could feel their questioning and dangerous stares, but she focused on deeply breathing. In her panic, she must have startled at least a few awake.

Swallowing as best as she could, she released her grip on her chest, letting her heart rate slow slightly. _Focus on breathing, focus,_ she coaxed herself into listening to the crickets and the crinkle of the nearby fire. She dropped her arms, and counted to ten and back. When she could swallow with less tension, she licked her parched lips and opened her eyes.

While she hadn't been wrong about waking a few clansmen, she could see the beginning light of the sun in the East. The rays were just starting to wash over the sky in a golden hue, and Sakura was vaguely reminded of Naruto's smile. Her lips down turned, the memory of her nightmare reliving in her mind's eye.

Stepping to, she headed into the direction of the medical tent. A few clansmen moved aside to let her pass. She paid them no mind and continued on ignoring their lingering. She slipped into the tent and fixated her attention to the children. Most seemed to be doing well and the older man from yesterday was resting on the opposite end.

Sakura breathed in deeply, but paused when she heard a strangled gasp for air. She surveyed the boys again and upon finding the source, headed over the child. He was no older than six from what she could tell. His clothes hanging loosely around his waist , sweat dripping. He was pale and sickly. She had recalled he was difficult. He had a deeply rooted infection and severe blood loss.

He didn't respond well to her chakra, his body quacking and violently jerking at the foreign intrusion. She had half expected him to pass yesterday when she had finally been able to attend him. Sakura frowned, shifting towards him. She sat beside his soiled cot and swiped a finger over his brow to move his black bangs from his forehead.

Her heart swelled and she tried to probe his injuries with her chakra, but he made a small noise of anguish. _He's too far along, _she thought tiredly. Desperately, she tried again, hoping his body would just accept the foreign intrusion so that she could treat him. She whipped his forehead again and watched as his face twisted into life. He blinked rapidly up at her with unfocused eyes, and his mouth dropped open.

"Mama-" her face drooped and she could feel her chest clench painfully as he choked back on his rising blood. "Mama-"

"Shh," she cooed, hand cradling his puffed cheeks.

He coughed violently, blood seeping from the corner of his lips. She tried to force healing chakra into him, her hands working quickly to run over him, but he convulsed from the invasion, the chakra network burnt and raw. She choked back her own sob as he cried louder, his body refusing to cooperate. _There's too much internal damage. I can't heal him if his body won't allow me. _She swallowed down her sob, throat tight.

"Mama!" He cried out again, hand grabbing hers. He opened his eyes enough to peer at Sakura longingly, and she felt the liquid of her tears vastly sliding down her cheeks.

"Shh," she cooed again, shifting to cradle his small body in her lap. "I'm here."

"Mama, I-I missed you." His small hands held tight onto hers, and she soothingly forced his fingers to lax so she could rub soothing circles on his shoulder while gently rocking them both.

"I know, baby, I know." She whispered, peppering his head with kisses.

He was grabbing at her kimono, wrapping himself in her embrace and he coughed again. The blood seeping into the front layer of her kimono. She held tighter to stop his body from convulsing again. He began crying into her kimono, and her shoulders sagged, pulling him closer to her, eyes squeezing shut.

"Hush now, my baby. Be still now, don't cry." She whispered. "Sleep now, it'll all be ok."

He was choking on his blood and coughing. "Mama, I'm scared."

"Shh, shh." She was shaking, clutching to him like a lifeline when she felt his body begin to shutter.

She opened her eyes to look down into his longing gaze. "It's ok now. Go to sleep, baby."

"I love you, mama." He cried, his eyes watering. Sakura engraved his face in her memory and she bit back a heavy sob. He looked so much like Sasuke in that moment, she hiccuped, raw emotion stripping her soul bare.

Cradling his face, she bent to kiss his forehead gently. Her crying began and her body racked with sobs. "I love you too, baby."

When his body sagged and his eyes dulled, lids falling heavy, she finally let herself sob loudly. The air too thick to swallow down, she choked on her sobs. Wailing into his lifeless body, she rubbed soothing circles into his shoulder again.

"I-I'm so sorry. I couldn't save you." She whispered, a mixture of her salty tears and snot dripping into his blood soaked shirt.

She had stayed like that for awhile, the Sasuke like child cradled in her lap while she sobbed endlessly. Her body ached from stooping over him, but her body was so heavy. His death was hanging overhead, and she sobbed harder. When she did find the power to lift her head, she whipped his face with her sleeve to cleanse him of her sorrow. She leaned back, her breath leaving in a shutter.

As she tilted back, she caught sight of a few embarrassed faces, yet more importantly she saw Izuna hovering in her peripheral vision. She dared a tired glance, his eyes searching her own before dropping to the boy. She reached up to scrub her face, erasing what she could of her visible pain.

Shifting she laid him down to rest on the cot, trembling hands fixing his clothes and covering his body with his sheet.

Her face puffy and red, Sakura found the will to stand and face Izuna. He was poised as a statue, seemingly cold and immovable, while she forced herself to stand tall. She moved around him slowly in case he chose to grab her. When he made no move, she continued on to check on the rest of the sleeping warrior children.

He was watching her from afar as she traded in her sorrow and drove herself further to save those she could. She basked in the glory of her work, hands glowing a bright familiar green as she forced herself to check each of them.

The air around the tent was tense, worn with the sorrow of war and death. Sakura greedily drank in the solemn silence while she worked, hands tirelessly burning infections and stitching wounds together.

Once her rounds were over, she faced the awakened old man. His face raw and tired from the endless work, and she gave him new instructions. He nodded slowly while processing the information. She didn't wait for his words of agreement instead stepping towards Izuna who waited patiently at the tent entrance.

They paused, staring into each other's faces, their muscles taunt and sore. Neither spoke, engulfed in a shared pain. He let her pass and she drifted out into the afternoon sun before she directed herself to the tent she shared with the brothers.

She sat upon her futon, eyes unfocused on the fires ahead of her as her mind lazily drifted through the events of her arrival in this era. Periodically, she caught wind of the brothers peaking in the tent, as though they were checking on her.

Sakura scuffed.

_Of course they were,_ she bitterly thought, _if only to ensure she was not escaping._

Sakura changed again, the metallic smell of the child's blood on her kimono making her nauseous. She noted how her other kimono seemed to have been picked up. She laid down suddenly exhausted. Her mind replayed the scene with the child and she let herself cry again into a dreamless slumber.

This time when she woke it was to screams and a roaring fire. Sakura sat up quickly, ears perking as she could hear a fight not too far off. She could hear the roaring of a fire jutsu and the clanking of metal. Scurrying, Sakura ran head first out of the tent.

Men were shouting and running desperately grabbing at their weapons leaping over in all directions. Madara and Izuna were nowhere in sight yet the camp was blazing with life. The roaring of a fire had her whizzing to duck as a fireball blast past her. She rolled in time to avoid the blast and jumped back to her feet, dashing to where she knew the entrance probably was. _1,376 steps._

Grabbing at the bottom of her kimono, cursing the entrapping material, Sakura ran as quickly as her legs could carry her as she fumbled with the obi to loosen the material for more movement. She leapt over a series of Uchiha bodies, their lifeless eyes staring up at her. She spread her awareness and felt a similar sensation of chakra brushing. _Senju, _she gasped. Her fingers drew the material of her kimono high around her thighs, her bare feet barely touching the earth entirely.

_But wait, _Sakura paused. Her chakra inching to life as another flare of chakra reached her. _It's not all Senju. _Her head was tipping in the direction of another source of chakra. She frowned, not entirely sure what was the source, but she begged her legs to shift faster when another scream pierced her eardrums.

Turmoil spun in her head, heavy like a curtain, and dread clutched her throat.

"The children!" Sakura abruptly stopped and redirected her body to leaping backwards, hair spinning in her vision. The source of secondary chakra tingled her senses towards where she ran from.

"The children!" She screamed.

Body propelling, she channeled her chakra toward the medical tent where the majority of the injured kids laid. She ducked under a projectile not having the chance to survey where the kunai came from, but skirted through the encampment. The battle around her raged on, men screaming and shouting, blocking her senses. Men clashed violently as more projectiles lodged around her. She weaved through them, hoping to reach the tent in time.

Smoke burned her lungs and she opened her mouth to cough. She could see the tent now, tears along the covering. More worrisome was the body of the older man who had helped her, holding onto a young teen protectively.

She grunted, fingers dancing to find a pulse. When she found none on either of them, she continued in, fear tightly knotting in her stomach. Most of the children laid in place, silently groaning or clutching to each other, still too weak to do more to protect themself.

"Stay together!" She demanded, grabbing one of the older shinobi to shove him towards the crowd of children despite his obvious wounds. "Protect them with your life!"

She heard a series of grunts toward the back. Their shadows danced along the outside of the tent. She darted in the direction of the two, chakra flaring to life wildly. Panic bubbling in her chest.

She ripped at the tent separating the battling men. Her eyes widened at the sight of long brown hair and ghostly eyes. _Hyuuga._

Izuna was struggling, his left arm hanging uselessly. A kunai had pierced his abdomen and he deflected another kunai with his other hand. She surveyed the damage, but without being close enough she could only assume his nerve was blocked. His sharingan was spinning darkly as he clashed with the Byakugan wielder. The Hyuuga was advancing quickly, charging ferociously to back Izuna away.

She watched distractedly as they fought like animals. Bodies turning and angling to find an opening. Izuna's mouth was filled with blood, his teeth coated red and clenched tight. She watched as the Hyuuga's hand fitted into several seals, Izuna's sharingan spinning faster to catch the movement. He ducked out of the way of the Hyuuga's fast hands, but he was not quick enough as his face contorted in pain as the Hyuuga blocked another set of nerves in his leg. Izuna was driven back into a tree, his body not able to hold his weight much longer. He was growling though, the fight evident in his face as he fought to stay standing.

From the corner of her eye, Sakura had enough time to duck away. A kunai embedded itself into the stake of the tent as another Hyuuga surprised her. She growled as he drew up to her, attempting to push her away from the tent, his hands seeking to grab her.

"Oh, no you don't!" She growled grabbing at his arms with her chakra enhanced hands.

Twisting, she crushed his hands in hers and continued to shatter his forearms. He screamed, the sound ringing in her ears and distracting the other two fighters. She snarled as his face contorted, and she continued her onslaught.

"You wouldn't dare touch them!" Sakura released one of his arms, rearing her right arm back to aim a punch at his face.

When his jaw snapped under the pressure of her blow and his head jerked back, she knew at the angle she had killed him instantly. She dropped his body and angled herself to focus on the other Hyuuga who was shifting his attention to her.

"Your fight is with me." Sakura snapped, flashing her own pearly whites dangerously.

The Hyuuga was smirking, his kunai spinning in his left hand. The fingers of his right were straight and poised to attack. _He can't land a hit on me or else I'm done, _she glanced back at the tent, _they'd be done._

"And what makes you think you'll get so lucky with me?" The Hyuuga baited, his cloudy eyes tracking her. "He was weak. You should run while you can."

"Cha." Sakura smiled, flaring her chakra to his astonishment. She chuckled darkly as his widened eyes flitted over her, mapping her chakra network.

They were flying towards each other suddenly, weaving in and out of each other's reach. She landed a quick jab to his ribs and retreated when he nearly caught her with his fingertips. Growling, she stepped away, restricted entirely by the length of the kimono. She ripped the material at her knees, tossing the shredded material to the side.

Smirking as to mock him, she widened her stance with her newfound freedom. She circled him and pounced when the Hyuuga became momentarily distracted by Izuna beginning to stand. Taking the opportunity, she hit the Hyuuga. Hard. His body doubled over and flew across the clearing through a tree. She darted forward then grabbing his arm, feet scraping the ground to jerk him back to her where her left hook cracked his skull.

He fell to the ground and she swung her leg up in a fashion her Shishou would have been proud of, and dropped her heel into his chest. It was over quickly, and she zipped back to Izuna. Dragging his body upwards with one hand, she snarled in his face.

"Protect them with your life." She ripped the kunai from his abdomen where blood spurted. He froze as she rammed her healing chakra into the wound, his body tense with the onslaught.

Izuna groaned, eyes squeezing shut. She reached up with her other hand to unblock the nerve with a swift flick. His eyes shot open and they stared into each other's eyes. She snarled again when his eyes fell down her face.

"Go now!" She shoved him towards the tent where he stumbled, dumbfounded by her.

Taking the opportunity, spinning the kunai in her hand, she ran.

She ran as fast as she could leaving a surprised Izuna to protect the children as another Hyuuga fell into the clearing to ambush him.

She weaved through the clearing into the forest, the darkness of the evening helping to mask her. Sakura hurriedly departed, flowing her chakra to her legs to move faster. Her legs pumped hard, dragging her limber body through the dense foliage.

She needed to get out of there at least with a somewhat clear conscience. This was her opportunity. This was her one and only chance to get away. The darkness enveloped her and she prayed to whatever Kami that it would cover her.

Luck was not a fortune her Shishou bestowed on her.

As it be, as she wove further out into the woods, she found herself falling into a battle with another Hyuuga clansmen. She dodged and dipped, weaving through his attacks and throwing some chakra laden punches to the trees and earth beneath her to distract the Hyuuga. Instead of fleeing like she thought he would, he drove her into a large clearing where another battle was being fought.

She jumped back, dodging the Hyuuga's hands, giving him a wide berth. She spun the kunai diligently in her hand before throwing it at her opponent while high in the air. He sidestepped the projectile expertly and dropped his body low to leap at her at her descent.

"Tobirama!"

Her ears perked and she chanced a glance over her shoulder to see the battling duo of Madara and Hashirama, their hands held in signs but their attention both diverted to her.

A flash of white distracted her and her head shifted to focus on the silver head of the Nidaime as he blocked her assailant. The pelt of his white fur collar was close enough for it to brush her face, tickling her nose. The two men collided and she let herself land before shooting back a few paces to avoid their onslaught as it turned deadly.

Blinking rapidly, she watched as the Nidaime's hand flashed into a few seals, water seemingly spurting from nowhere as it collided with the Hyuuga. His hands flew into a few more seals, releasing a high powered stream of water from his mouth, slicing the Hyuuga through. When the Hyuuga's body dropped, the Nidaime spun on her. Red eyes narrowed suspiciously at her.

Sakura swallowed a rush of terror down and she squared her shoulders, fists raised as he came at her.

"Tobirama!"

The voice of the First Hokage clouded her mind as suddenly Madara's hair was tickling her face as he deflected Tobirama's sword with his own. She ducked and rolled, chakra lighting her hands to push herself up like a spring board. The metal sparks from their sword flew high as they swung and waved. Madara was snarling, a similar feature she had witnessed on Izuna's face, leaning over their clashing blades at the Senju.

Sakura skirted back, frozen as they held frozen, locked in place.

"Tobirama!" Hashirama boomed behind her, shaking her from her stupor as she fumbled to stand in her shock. His warm hand grabbed at her shoulder, steadying her and encompassing her tenderly.

Her emerald eyes sparkled in relief staring at him. However, it changed with another clang of metal. She had been saved from the Second by Madara. _Why would he do that?_

Her eyes widened and she frowned watching as the two struggled to dislodge the other. Both were menacingly in their armor, the starlight gleaming off their fair skin. She focused on each of them, gut churning in an unknown emotional turmoil. When Madara's lips curled up in another snarl like his brothers, she knew what she had to do.

"Madara," she called, both their blazing red eyes turning to her. "Izuna needs you."

There was a flash in his eyes. Dark and twisted. Sakura felt her chest clench and she anxiously stood awaiting his decision. Madara's eyes flitted between her and Hashirama even to where their encampment was, and then to Hashirama's hand on her shoulder. Sakura watched as he narrowed his eyes when Hashirama's hand tightened on her shoulder. His lip curled higher before he pushed forward, Tobirama jerking to keep the blades engaged without losing his footing.

Madara side stepped around Tobirama and leapt away. Tobirama made to follow after him, but Hashirama's chakra burst forth and the younger brother faltered in his step. Madara stopped to briefly connect his eyes with her, and her stomach flopped.

Sakura knew it wasn't over even as he leapt away.

She sank to her knees, the First Hokage making an air of noise through his nose, and she began to shake. Exhaustion crept up creating a fog in her head, and she couldn't shake herself of it as the Senju brothers watched her intensely. Finally her body felt heavy like a weight being dropped on her shoulders, and she succumbed to the darkness in her mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Founding Love**

Chapter Nine

Sakura found the Senju brothers to be an even more unpredictable pair. Her fingers were deftly flexing as the older of the two, Hashirama, bargained to carry her. She attempted to refuse, but her body, exhausted by the mental showdown she had been dealing with over the past several weeks, decided to nearly collapse as her feet touched the ground. Hashirama refused to let her work the kinks out of her legs, lifting her up effortlessly.

She had awkwardly awakened originally to being cradled in his arms, her body leaning close to his breastplate and his hands gently soothing her with small caressing motions. She blanched at the time, her mind running through which Uchiha brother was doing such a thing, and she nearly choked Hashirama by mistake. Her hand flying on its own accord to clutch at his bare neck.

Tobirama, the Nindaime, did not respond as kindly to her attack as the older Senju did. His hands had fisted tightly in her hair, and he none too gently had thrown her to the ground, his sword pressing into the front of her throat.

Hashirama laughed tensely, one hand fixated behind his head as he negotiated the brother down. Hashirama bargained with his brother successfully, which she was entirely grateful for, but Tobirama didn't seem easy to appease.

Sakura's hand flew to her throat recalling the earlier incident, her fear of the younger one causing her eyes to fluctuate between the pair. As if sensing her discomfort, his red piercing eyes focused on her, and she quickly diverted her gaze in favor of leaning closer to the older of the two.

He must have taken this as a welcome signed, for she could feel his head tipping down to rove over her. She flinched under the scrutiny and she chewed on her bottom lip absentmindedly.

These were the men, the founding men, of her country. Her encounters with them were based in history books and from their reanimations with their battle with Madara. These encounters were all very limited and she knew that the history books weren't clear to depict people. But here, this was a different time and space. She knew nothing of them. She couldn't begin to gauge how to approach them nor how to explain her situation.

Sakura frowned in her inner turmoil, hands closing and flexing in her discomfort. At least with the Uchiha brothers, she found odd similarities to her once teammate and companion. These two were another set of able shinobi, and as her eyes set on Tobirama, ones who could not be easily swooned.

Sakura fought a sigh and studied the forest around them. It moved quickly whirling in her vision, as they leapt tree to tree. There were more honed in the chakra sensory, and she could tell the two of them were swaying, weaving around the landscape diligently, clearly as if to avoid unwanted contact. They were moving North, she glanced at the position of the sun and noted the growth of the moss on the trees. Far North from what she could see.

She closed her eyes in relief at the amount of distance they had covered, relaxed at not having to have a blindfold on for her journey. It eased the knot in her stomach and the churning from motion sickness. More so, she eased into a lull from the idea of being so far from the menacing Uchiha brothers.

Opting to meditate, Sakura focused on the soft pounding of Hashirama's footfalls and the soft hum in his throat. Breathing in, she inhaled the forest around, holding the scent of the green earth until she could pull her chakra and spill it into her seal. Breathing out, she exhaled slowly as to not lose the trail of chakra she was plucking from. She followed this pattern lightly, acutely aware of the brothers stealing hard glances at her practices. Sakura briefly thought they could feel the pulsation in her chakra, but dared not ask, least she break the comfortable silence.

Sakura dreaded the questioning she knew would come.

Sakura assumed very few prisoners of war lived, especially those of the Uchiha compound. She felt an immense weight settle on her shoulders. _Would they react the same,_ she thought, _could she escape without changing anything more in this timelines?_

Sakura did frown, her mind unfocused and her train of thought distracting her from steadily sealing more chakra within her. She blinked rapidly instead, eyes following up his red breastplate to the tanned skin of Hashirama's neck column, and even further to his defined jawline into his soft features. He noticed her admiration of him, and he smiled down. Heat blazed in her cheeks at being caught staring, and she focused elsewhere to relieve the flush in her skin.

She could feel the rumble of his chuckle in his chest, the sound soothing and purely masculine. She scrubbed the back of her hand over her face to hide her embarrassment.

He must have become worried because he paused when landing on the next tree branch, moving to look down at her again with lips slightly down turned.

"Are you ok, Sakura-san?" His voice rumbled in her ear and she chanced a peak at his face. His brows were tucked in and he looked crestfallen on her. Sakura decided instantly she didn't like this look on him.

"I am fine-" she paused before addressing him, "Senj-"

"Hashirama." He supplied with a gentle smile, his mouth pleasant to watch. His breath fanned over face and her breath caught in her chest.

"Hashirama-sama." She murmured, bowing her head politely.

Tobirama grunted, his arms folding over his broad chest. Sakura knew he wasn't happy with their interaction nor the probability of them stopping so close to enemy lines. The tick in his brow was the giveaway and his stoic face held firm. Sakura blinked at the young Senju as an awkward chuckle left Hashirama.

"Please, don't mind him. That is Tobirama, my brother."

Sakura nodded numbly. Bowing her head in his direction, she politely offered a small smile knowing it would not ease him from his disposition. She tried though, an effort she hoped she wasn't wasting.

If anyone needed to be convinced of her allegiance, then that was the man she'd have to convey it all to.

That being whatever story she could muster and hold to when he asked.

Anxiety crawled into her lap again. The Uchiha were easy to convince, in a small sense had she been actively trying. She feverishly denied her claims to the Senju clan, which were all true in a way, but unknowingly she played into their greatest fear- that she could be based on her healing skills and strength. Sakura worried her lip between her teeth as they jumped back into motion. She without a doubt played a part in her safety by keeping her identity a secret.

Part of her knew she was too wrapped up in her situation with the Uchiha to be the mastermind behind her escape plan or prolonging her death sentence. However, as she held firm in denying her identity, she unknowingly kept them from killing her. Her face drooped. Politically, she could have been from _any _clan, and they perhaps couldn't risk killing her for fear of starting another war with a third clan.

Sakura scuffed.

Now though, she had worries if she could escape or prolong the situation similar if she was caught with the Uchiha again. She willingly went with the Senju, a safe haven for her practically, but nonetheless playing into the Uchiha fear of her clan name.

Sakura had a duty though to keep her people safe albeit a struggle she'd be facing soon. She couldn't lie outright to the Senju as that would be a huge risk on her part, but she could _not_ stay either.

Sakura hadn't realized how tense she had gotten until Hashirama began humming louder, fingers on her shoulder doodling soothing patterns into her kimono. She released her muscles with a small noise, and she caught the small smile on his lips as she did so.

Sakura had to think, and quickly, if she wanted to make this work.

But as they continued their silent journey, she was lulled into a peaceful slumber. Hashirama's calming tone murmuring an old song to her ears.

Her sleep was short lived though it seemed because soon enough she was being gently stirred awake. Blinking rapidly, her unfocused eyes trained to his soft tone.

"-kura-san, we are here." He was nudging her with his hand on her shoulder, and she tipped her head back, rolling her neck in the process to ease the tension forming.

"Yes, yes." Sakura murmured, reaching a small hand to rest on his breastplate. "I'm up."

He was cooing to her gently, and she vaguely wondered if he was this dashing every morning. Sakura's thoughts sparked with that thought.

When he didn't release her, she fidgeted to adjust herself in his arms. Her legs were cramping and her back aching. Her fingers grasped at the top edge of his breastplate, and she frowned into his smiling face.

_Does he ever not smile,_ she thought sarcastically, no ill intent behind the thought.

His mouth was moving, but she couldn't register what he was saying, so she tilted forward, almost knocking her head on his chin when he shifted to look down at her. He laughed, a hearty warm sound billowing out of his parted lips, and Sakura felt a flush crept up her neck.

"I'm sorry!" Sakura muttered, running a hand over her face.

His laughter continued until the younger Senju brother made a noise of disapproval, a loud grunt with a sharp glare in his eyes. Hashirama quieted soon after, but she could feel his chest shaking while he swallowed down the rest of his laugh and his long brown hair bobbing against the top of her head.

"Welcome to our compound, Sakura-san!"

Sakura twisted into his arms and her mouth fell agape as she looked at the massive structure. The walls were tall and marvelous. They were a beautiful speckled white and his clan symbol rang high on wooden poles.

Everyone approaching could easily tell who they were.

Sakura fidgeted again, a bubbling excitement pitching high. She felt giddy like she was a child again in her mother's kitchen being able to like the bowl after her mother made brownies.

She accidentally tugged on the edge of Hashirama's breastplate too hard and he made a surprised choking noise, and she quickly let go, a muttered apology escaping her.

He chuckled, squeezing her body lightly before shaking his head.

Feeling embarrassed, she attempted to let herself down, but he held firm.

"Hashirama-sama, if you could," she pointed down to the ground, "set me down. I can walk from here."

"Nonsense!" Hashirama laughed and she groaned as he held tighter. "You've been through enough. Let me take at least this burden from you!"

Sakura frowned at his jovial tone. She _had_ been through a lot, but she was _quite _capable of walking. Sighing dramatically, she shrunk back into his chest and watched as the gate to his private village opened. People were bustling about to and fro carrying out various tasks and chores. However, as they entered, the clan turned their own smiling faces reflecting on their clan head with a tenderness and love.

This was what her village was founded on. This was the start of the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

Sakura was in pure awe.

Unfortunately for her it was short lived. With the brothers tolling her in, when the clan spotted her, their faces fell. Some were stoic, others outright curious, and some had gasped in scandalous waves. Sakura shrunk further back. There was a well groomed suspicion in their gazes, ones she knew most shinobi had. It was what kept them alive. What kept herself alive even.

Sakura knew she'd be on pins and needles here too, not just at the Uchiha compound.

She gulped her fear down and looked back up at the future First Hokage. He gave nothing away except with a carefully placed thin smile.

So he knew it too.

She was quiet and frozen in his arms, and she stayed that way while he weaved them through the throngs of people. She could study their worn faces closer and see their own anxiety simmering. Her lips turned into a similar thin smile. War had not been kind to them either.

Sakura could feel Tobirama's surveillance span over her.

_Careful,_ she thought edging her body to not be so wound up.

As they entered a larger shiro in the center of the village, he kicked off his sandals before stepping onto the lacquered porch. Then he set her down. Sakura's feet touched the cool floor easily, but as she looked at her dirtied feet, she frowned.

Straightening her kimono a tad, Sakura caught Hashirama studying her. His face was not as warm as it was previously. His almond shaped eyes narrowed upon her. Hashirama's brown parted hair casted long shadows across his long, straight nose.

"Hashirama-"

"Sakura-san, how about we get you cleaned up. I'll call someone over to help dress you and we can meet for dinner."

His beaming smile was hard to decline. Sakura opened her mouth to say anything, but she lost her train of thought as his calloused hand played with the tatters of her kimono where she had torn it. Sakura flicked her chin upwards, pouting at being treated like she was going to break.

Her attitude simmered as he sulked, body sagging. _This is what they call the God of Shinobi,_ Sakura paled and worriedly waved her hands in front of her.

Mood suddenly lifted, he was standing tall again, hands on his hips with a comically large smile.

"It's settled then!" He waved over an older woman and whispered some directions to her before pushing her towards Sakura.

"But Shod-" Sakura bit her tongue from her slip, and waved her hands again, laughing softly to distract the inquisitive eyes of Tobirama. "Please, don't fret about me! I can take care of myself."

He sulked again, mouth jutting out into a pout. "But I thought we agreed on this?"

Sakura caved, heart aching at the similarities from his reanimation to the man standing before her. "Thank you, Hashirama-sama."

He jumped back up, laughing with his belly.

"I will see you soon then." He waved her off before grabbing onto Tobirama's shoulder guiding him away from her as well.

Sakura groaned before turning to follow the older woman to a bathing room. Sakura cleaned the grim from her body tiredly, relishing the warmth of the water. She scrubbed her face diligently hoping to look refreshed, but her mind kept drifting.

_What am I going to do,_ she pondered, scratching her head. She moaned, washing the soap from her long hair. Her fingers curling around the ends. _How long have I been here for it to be this long?_

Shaking herself from her stupor, she moved to dry herself off before out from behind the partition. Sakura fumbled when she spotted the old woman daintily holding a beautiful pale pink haneri, and a white kimono with a green sleeveless haori.

The older woman, perhaps in her late 70s, adjusted to stand from her crouching position. When she struggled, Sakura leapt forward to grab a hold of her arm and steady her with a small hand on her back. The old woman fixed Sakura with a withered smile, her wrinkles slightly smoothing.

Sakura blinked away the illusion and returned it with a small smile of her own.

"Come now, child." The old woman crooned, helping Sakura into her attire. "You mustn't keep them waiting."

Sakura ran her fingers through her hair, detangling the mess with a sigh. The old woman paused reaching up to pull the strands back into a braid with practiced ease.

"Thank you, ma'am." Sakura touched the braid lovingly as she was guided out.

Sakura followed the woman and she shifted to get a better look at the woman. She was moving quick, almost _too _quick for a woman her age. But Sakura blinked slowly and the woman was barely moving beyond a snail's pace. Sakura chalked it up to her suspicious nature.

They moved about the shiro, taking long hallways and pausing for the woman to catch her breath. Sakura patted her shoulder soothingly, asking the woman if she needed any assistance. The woman shook her head and continued on.

_Stubborn, old-_

Sakura froze as the woman abruptly stopped, kneeling in front of a screen door. Sakura blinked when the woman turned a nasty glance over her shoulder at Sakura. She blanched before realizing her mistake. She dropped down to a kneeling position beside the woman, slightly back. She should have paid more attention in class when they covered etiquette, damn it.

The woman slid the shoji door open, bowing low at her waist to touch her forehead against the floor before she moved back. Sakura nodded slowly to the woman in polite recognition before following suit. Her forehead pressed lightly into the wooden floor. When she lifted her head, Sakura sucked in a breath of air at the sight.

The Senju brother made quite a sight. They were sitting in the center of the tatami room around a kotatsu. Behind them was a small alcove where a built in desk sat. The ceiling was painted with tree branches blossoming beautiful Sakura petals.

More astonishing were themselves. The Shodai wore a green kimono tucked into a white hakama. His arms were tucked into the sleeves of his white haori. His dark brown hair cascading in waves around his shoulders. He oozed traditional confidence and warmth. Tobirama was the opposite- a disposition of power. His blue haori opened revealing black fishnet. His half shirt was not tucked into his black pants, but held partially closed by a black sash.

"Come! Let us eat!" Hashirama waved excitedly.

She entered, closing the shoji door behind her softly and standing to approach the brothers. Sakura sat, bending her knees to the side to sit more comfortably. Laid on the table was a good spread.

"Thank you for your hospitality. I cannot express the amount of my gratitude for all you've done." Sakura bowed her head, holding it down, hands folded in her lap.

Tobirama snorted, a noise which had her jaw snapping closed, but Hashirama chuckled. She righted her position as he waved comically at her.

"It is of no issue!" He picked up a set up chopsticks to begin filling his bowl with rice.

Kindly, she waited until Tobirama reached forward to fill his own before she would grab her chopsticks. Fisting the wood in her fingers, she anxiously studied the two of them, but was interrupted as Hashirama passed her the bowl of rice with a generous smile.

They ate in silence. Hashirama animatedly chewing and smiling wide at her. Tobirama disregarded her entirely, choosing to turn away from her at the table in a blatant show. Sakura remained on edge, unsure of how to address either of them being their attitude completely different.

Setting the picture of a meager woman, Sakura chewed slowly to savor each flavor. She took a dainty amount of food, enough to satisfy herself without gorging. Her nerves picked up as they finished their respective meals.

As another woman entered to clear the table, Hashirama's hand dipped into the sleeve of his haori and Sakura narrowed her eyes, anxiety swirling in her stomach suddenly. She was ready to dart when he whipped his hand out with-

"Cards?"

Sakura felt her shoulders drop. Her shinobi instinct had drove her to prepare for an attack, not for _cards_.

Sakura sighed as he patiently awaited her response.

"Ah, Hashirama-sama, I don't think-"

"Oh, now, now! It is harmless. Play with me!" He was shuffling the cards expertly on the table as Tobirama snorted again dismissing his brother's gaze.

Sakura fought back another sigh. She supposed she could. They were being decent, she spied Tobirama's irritated demeanor, _well, at least one of them was being kind._ However, her luck was not entirely great. Another trait she had picked up from her Shishou. But then again-

Tsunade's luck was apparently a genetic trait.

Sakura smiled politely, nodding gently and placing her open hands on the table.

"That's the spirit!" Hashirama encouraged, tossing her a card.

"What would you like to play?" Sakura inquired, collecting the cards as he tossed them to her.

He paused, looking thoughtful with his hand settling on his chin, finger tapping his mouth. "Poker."

Hashirama laid out the first few cards and Sakura glanced at her cards.

"Ano, I don't have anything to bet with." Sakura drew a harsh breath in, trying to remind herself how to play.

He waved dismissively, arranging his hand carefully. Sakura glanced at the cards on the table.

"We don't need to play for bets now. Let's play to enjoy!" His twinkling eyes were hard to decline. "But then again, you are right. How about we bet with stones?"

Sakura caved easily, taking the stones from his hands when he plucked them from the inside of his haori. She played the first few hands, winning with a charming smile. Perhaps her luck was changing.

Hashirama was a sore loser. His face dropping and his shoulders sagging. He leaned his elbows onto the table, humming loudly as he glanced over his hand. Tobirama, clearly not entirely interested in their game, moving to open the shoji door. Paying him no mind, Sakura focused on the cards in her hand and then glanced up at the glittering eyes of Hashirama.

"Well, you've been quite lucky." He muttered, scratching at his chin.

Sakura flushed a pretty pink, hands curling around her cards as she looked away. He was inching across the table, his finger drumming on the tabletop again. Not feeling so bold in the moment, she folded. Hashirama smiled as he collected his stones, reshuffling the cards before passing another set.

They sat in ease. Their game was fun and light, but as she won again, eyes twinkling and a smile edging its way over her face yet she caught the glittering in his eyes again.

"Let's make it more interesting, neh, Sakura-san?" He probed.

_When had he gotten that close,_ she marveled, thinking it was clearly a trick her mind was playing on her. She didn't even see him move, she gauged while picking up another set of cards.

"How would you like to do that, Hashirama-sama?" She arranged her hand, peaking over her cards at him.

He was following a similar pattern, adjusting his cards in his large hands before his brown eyes engaged hers. "Please, call me Hashirama. No titles, please."

Sakura nodded. "Then please, call me Sakura."

"Sakura," he tested, his tongue peaking out over his bottom lip. "How about we bet with questions and answers?"

Sakura faulted. She nearly dropped her cards, but regained her senses quickly. "Ah, Hashirama-"

"It'll be innocent! We bet with one or two questions and the loser has to answer whatever is asked." He was waving excitedly again.

Sakura felt her stomach drop, and it must have shown on her face for he leaned back, hair flying over his shoulder. "Besides, you're having much better luck than I have had!"

Sakura glanced across the table where they played with some pebbled stones. She had been winning, and quite often too judging by the size of her rock pile.

"I suppose." She trailed.

Hashirama smiled, teeth glinting in the light from the open shoji door.

Tobirama called over his shoulder, "Don't be foolish, brother."

Hashirama scuffed, and Sakura felt at ease. If his own brother wasn't as confident in him, then it was a good sign.

The questions were innocent enough to start. She won the first two rounds. Sakura wasn't too sure what to ask, so picked fair subjects. She found he loved sushi, a cute surprising fact, and that he preferred morning to evening. They continued like this briefly. He won a few rounds himself. Those were tense for her as she paled at the idea of him asking anything about her origin, but he didn't, sticking to similar topics as hers.

She was lured into answering questions about her hair and what her favorite season was. Sakura relaxed a touch. Sakura noted how he seemed a smidge closer, but once again brushed the idea off as her shinobi suspicions.

That was until he was winning more frequently.

The questions were becoming harder to dodge.

"I have a full house! What do you have, Sakura?" Hashirama dipped his head to the side, a child like gleam playing over his features.

She scowled. "A pair of 7s."

She groaned as he collected the cards to reshuffle. Sakura folded her arms over her chest, jutting her chin up annoyed.

"Ask." She growled.

He laughed merrily and she had the distinct feeling he was toying with her. "What is your family name?"

"Har-" Sakura blanched, pretending to be distracted by the woman depositing dango on the table beside them. "-ada." She paused to look up at the handsome man.

"Harada." She affirmed, swallowing down her adrenaline. "You have one more, Hashirama."

Hashirama took his time thinking over another question. "Do you have siblings?"

"No." she answered, clicking her tongue on the back of her teeth.

Sakura flicked her eyes over the table as he laid their cards out. He was shuffling properly, laying them out fairly. Sakura's instincts were alive again when she picked up her cards and they bet each with two questions instead of one. He was winning a lot, it seemed. Her emerald eyes narrowed as she barely caught his eyes daring to peak over her shoulder.

Perhaps too much.

He folded quietly, collecting his cards together straightening them.

"You have two questions yourself. Ask away!" Hashirama shuffled, the cards slapping against the others wildly.

Sakura hummed, asking, "Are you married?"

His bellowing laughter caught her off guard, and his brother snorted. She had forgotten about the brother in the doorway.

"No," he laughed again, dealing the cards for another round. "I would love to be with tons of children, but now is not the time to do so."

Curiosity peaked, Sakura leaned closer to him over the tabletop. "Why?"

His face fell and she cursed herself for saying anything. His features became stern as he plucked up his cards. "War is not a pleasant time for children to be raised in."

Sakura, unsure of how to reply to such a strong assertion, picked her cards up. She groaned mentally as her luck shifted, but then remembered the fluttering eyes of the Senju lord.

Testing a theory, she kept her cards in place in front of her to coil a weary hand around the column of her neck. Watching through her long lashes, she leaned back and rolled her shoulder and neck as if she were stretching. She could see Hashirama peaking over his cards beyond her momentarily before settling back on his cards. She continued to stretch, but closed her lids to appear shut as she rolled her head all the way back to glance at the younger Senju brother forgotten in the doorway.

_That's it,_ she caught it. Tobirama's finger barely flicked up, so subtly she would have not noticed has she not been looking for it.

"Two questions." Hashirama spewed, his voice dropping, closer even than what she recalled hearing.

Sakura played into the hand so as to not be caught herself, she called with two questions of her own. They both showed their cards simultaneously.

When she noticed her pair was lower than his, she scowled. _Sneaky bastards._

"So, Sakura," Hashirama was no longer idolly stroking the cards, but instead leaning on the table. His head cradled in his hand, the other drumming the surface of the table. "Where are you from?"

She struggled to form a thought, mouth suddenly dry. _Think, Sakura, think. _Her mind tried to dip over where she could be from, to come up with a plan. Any plan. _Faster, Sakura, think faster!._

"West!" She spit out, hands forming fists in her lap as he smiled.

"How far West, Sakura?"

He was plucking questions from her answers causing her heart to thud loudly in her ears. She could barely think as she got wrapped in his depth of his eyes. His hand no longer drummed along the tabletop.

"The desert," she stuttered, unconsciously biting her lip.

Tobirama was circling her and she startled, not having heard his footfalls. She risked looking at the younger Senju, his aura swirling around her in waves, but nearly missed Hashirama sitting up, hands settling into the sleeves of his haori.

"The sun has been good to you." Hashirama said, voice light, but not reassuring.

"Yes," Sakura stammered in awe. _So these are the Senju brothers._ "Yes, it has."

* * *

**A.N: **Ah, now we have finally had a lasting encounter with our beloved Senju brothers! How exciting. This is just a taste of it, but we'll see how Sakura plays into it. Perhaps her luck will continue to change. More is on the horizon, so enjoy. Happy reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Founding Love**

Chapter Ten

Sakura had barely managed to skirt out of the looming conversation with the Senju brothers. A sharp exhale left her, and she hugged her arms around herself. She had feigned tired. Conveniently _too _tired, as Tobirama snarked yet Hashirama had let her slip out, having the old woman escort her to a room.

It reminded her faintly of how close the Uchiha brothers had placed her. Sucking on her teeth, she glanced out her open shoji window into a private garden. _Fairly too similar_, she thought, but at least she couldn't feel the brothers stalking about.

That didn't mean others didn't though.

Sakura could feel the pressure of their chakra around her or the bristling of presence up her spinal column. It was uncomfortable and yet a reassuring measure. If they trusted her off the bat, then she'd have been considerably more concerned.

No prominent shinobi clan would have lasted this long had they been so alarmingly welcoming.

Sakura shifted in her position. Her lithe body laid across the wooden tsukeshoin, her arms acting as cushions as her mind traced the garden. Part of her wished to climb out in the moonlight, sit near the koi pond and smell the rose bushes. Another part wondered if she could manage to sneak out and leap away.

When she first arrived, she attempted to slip into the garden. However, she was met several times with wandering clansmen or handmaids. Their careful stares clearly watching over her. She had been caged in this room for weeks since, dodging the questioning and overbearing eyes of the Senju, only summoned to eat politely with the Senju brothers as a slightly unwelcome guest.

It hadn't been unnaturally unwelcome, but the way Tobirama circled her put her on edge. Her senses flaring to life wildly and she timidly kept her mouth shut. Hashirama though, perhaps used to his brother's haunting presence, was much kinder. Sharing stories of his youth and chatting nonchalantly about his desire to grow a bonsai tree of all things. Sakura found it hard to not fall into his charm and laugh alongside his jovial nature.

Sakura lazily laid her head on her arms memorizing the way the wind rocked the flowers. She felt the weight of her dilemma crash into her and the burning of guilt in her stomach.

She hated lying to her Shodai. She absolutely hated the betrayal of her country in her stomach, sitting thick on her tongue like a burning seal. _How can I lie to my Hokage? Lie to the very foundation of my country? The same country that built me?_

What she hated more was how it was glaringly obvious she was skirting around her situation. She was a trained, skilled kunoichi. A proud prodigy and product of Konoha. And yet here she was, scrambling to contain her composure when _barely_ even being pressured.

"Ugh," she snapped, disgusted with her own glaring failure as a shinobi.

Sitting up, she ran her arms over the wooden desk to grip the shoji window edge, pushing to lean forward. She basked in the evening sun like a cat, absorbing the heat with a small grin. It reminded her of Naruto's beaming smile and how they'd sit in the treetops sunbathing until it slipped beneath the canopy of trees. Kakashi would let them have those small moments of peace, and she was filled with it at this moment.

Exhaling, she opened her eyes, not even entirely aware they had drifted closed, to watch the sun drop low on the horizon.

Checking for any clansmen or wandering handmaids, she took the opportunity to pass through the window, swallowed by the urge to engage in the surreal atmosphere of the garden. Her kimono nearly got snagged on the windowsill in her haste. Her socks slid delicately across the wooden porch, and she edged forward, careful to lay her feet flat on the wood as to not cause the floorboard to creak.

Sakura continued on, her target in sight when the board moaned under the pressure of her foot as she raised the other to step into the grass. Fanning her senses and feeling no one, Sakura stepped into the garden hesitantly.

The evening light cast a shadow, enveloping her like a warm blanket, and she settled on a large stone next to the koi pond while the sun continued its departure.

She pulled her braid over her shoulder and sat with her legs beside her. Slightly undoing the binding obi at her waist, she edged to leaning on her arm while the other hovered over the pond casually.

The fish swam lazily beneath the surface, unaware of her presence, and she smiled. Barely touching the surface with her index finger, she watched the ripple fan the surface.

The koi zipped away from the source of the ripple, and the pinkette drew indolent patterns on the surface, diligent not to dip her fingertip under the surface. Soon, the koi were no longer weary and continued their routine swimming.

"Do you know what the koi symbolize, Sakura?"

Surprised, yet not entirely at his brazen approach, Sakura focused on the Shodai as he stepped into the garden, the gravel crunching under his sandals.

He was seemingly more relaxed, his haori loose around him and his kimono parted wide exposing his tanned chest. His hakama remained snug on his hips, the chord with his Senju medallion hanging low on his abdomen.

"I believe you were out of questions, Hashirama." She goaded, tone tender.

"Perhaps." Hashirama sat next to her, the material of his haori running over her fingers.

Pulling a small brown satchel from his sleeve, Hashirama sprinkled some tidbit of food over the pond. The koi fluttered to life, moving quick to pick up the pieces. She drew her hand back and her own haori slipped from her shoulders to pool at her elbows.

Sakura, unwilling to be a poor guest, continued to wonder over the lively feasting fish. "Go on."

He was studying her it seemed, and a heat spread in her chest, her heart skipping a mere beat. He spread more food for the fish. They sat in quiet peace for a moment, the sun now completing its descent. She sat quietly, not wanting to cut the silence.

"The brave koi who climbs the waterfall to the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River and succeeds will blossom into a beautiful dragon. Those koi who climb and get caught, face their death on the cutting board just as bravely as a samurai."

Sakura listened intently, emerald eyes basking over the pond only to move to his awaiting gaze. Her mouth grew dry and her pink lips opened to take in a shaky breath.

"They swim upstream regardless of the condition. They continue to swim upstream in the waterfall in an absolute show of power with perseverance in adversity and strength in purpose."

She felt consumed in his small tale, hanging onto each word like a lifeline. Her fingers clutched onto the stone she sat on tightly and she tilted toward him into his seemingly searching eyes.

"Do you see yourself in the koi?" She murmured, admiring the soft lines of his tan face.

"No," Hashirama murmured kindly. "I see you."

Sakura's lips parted further, brows furrowing. She desperately wanted to share with him her lie. She wasn't from the desert. She wanted to tell him she wasn't whoever they thought she was. She wanted desperately to be free of her small lie, her gut turning over in waves.

"Whatever you are fleeing from," he continued, body fully facing her. "Know that we will protect you here."

Sakura could feel the tears pooling in her eyes and marveled as Hashirama bared into her soul. She could feel his warmth as he came forward, slowly leaning to her.

"And when your clan comes for you, I will protect you. I will pay whatever price they demand."

Sakura could feel her heart swell painfully in her chest, and she clutched a hand to her chest to calm the thunderous movement. Guilt burning a hole in her abdomen.

"I know it all, Sakura," he bid. His face was drawing nearer and she took a shuddering breath in, tears threatening to leak. "You don't have to pretend any more."

Her breath left her in a smooth whoosh.

"I had heard rumors of a desert Daimyo taking a beautiful woman from a prominent clan to be his bride. I had heard she was fair skinned with light colored hair, her eyes sparkling like gems." His hand was ghosting over the side of her face and skimming over her hair.

_No,_ she thought, gasping. Hashirama seemed convinced with the sound and she tried to protest. He hushed her softly.

"I heard that she was strong and fled, not wishing to be wed to the Daimyo as a tool to his reign." His hand paused at the end of her braid, fingers pulling at the band holding it together.

"No," Sakura whispered, eyes squeezing shut, waves of emotions flooding her.

Her heart clenched again. Here she was living another lie to her Shodai and she was powerless to end it, unsure of what to do. Here he was, presenting her with a perfect opportunity, but her honor and humility were waning.

"Sakura-" she knew he was mistaking her tears as painful memories, and his hand gently loosened her braid so her hair was splayed across her shoulder before whipping at her tear trails with his thumb.

"I will protect you from them all. No Daimyo will take you and neither will any clan you do not wish to be with." Hashirama's words had struck the final chord and a broken sob escaped her, sealing his conviction in her makeshift tale.

Hashirama enclosed her sobbing body in his strong arms, and Sakura grabbed the front of his haori, her face pressed into the exposed skin of his chest. His hand caressed the crown of her head before sliding down the back of her head. He leaned his cheek at the top of her head, cooing to her.

Sakura knew then, she couldn't tell him the truth nor could she weave a new web for him to believe. Hiccuping into his chest, she drew away, clasping to his clothing soundly.

"I will protect you, Sakura. I promise."

A new wave of emotions tipped in her and a sob escaped her again. Shaking her head, she stirred herself into backing away to create some space. His hand stayed cradling her head and he whipped another trek of tears from her flushed face.

Movement in the corner of her peripheral vision had her turning to face the stoic face of Tobirama. She shivered, tears pouring down her features while she tried to compose herself.

Hashirama nodded to his brother, holding her firmly. Tobirama stood proudly on the porch, the black pants and shirt pressed finely to the outline of his body. His arms were crossed over his body and his chin pointed high. The red lines on his face contrasted sharply on his pale skin in the night.

"_We _will protect you, koi." Hashirama declared and Sakura witnessed a silent exchange between the two before Tobirama nodded minutely.

Hashirama stood, a strong figure in her vision, and he pulled her daintily to her feet. Her green haori flickered behind her as the wind swept her hair completely over her shoulder, spilling over her backside. His calloused hands came behind her as if he were embracing her and she shied away from the movement, freezing when she realized he was adjusting her haori to fit around her properly.

"You're safe now, and safe may you stay." Hashirama answered her questioning eyes.

When he presented his arm to her, Sakura shakily took his, her hand fitting into the crook of his elbow. She had the distinct feeling she was trapped.

Trapped in a web she didn't weave.


	11. Chapter 11

**Founding Love**

Chapter Eleven

Word had spread swiftly that she was of nobility and of priceless value to whatever clan she originated from. Sakura supposed this was good for her as she often found her new position in power had its rewards.

She was given more freedom to travel the compound, albeit with an attendant at all times and a shinobi guard roaming the edges of her awareness. She also was given beautiful silk kimonos to choose from. All of which were furisode, while uncomfortable in the fall heat and impractical for movement, it was more than she could ever afford on her shinobi salary back home. Most had traditionally long sleeves and more elegant designs, but she was given some without the padding and with medium length sleeves.

Sakura sighed, pulling the sleeves of the furisode in her lap closely to inspect the intricate flower design.

She had prior overhead the gossiping wives discussing what high nobility she supposedly had as this Daimyo's runaway bride. Sakura scuffed when she heard them debating amongst themself if she would become the bride to one of the Senju brothers.

Sakura barely escaped their questioning eyes and gigging murmurs.

But being of nobility had its limitations.

The problem with being suspected of nobility was keeping the air around her stifling. Traditionally, women of status were elegant and poised. None reacting to commentary or debating openly in front of men. Sakura had to control her temper many times and bit her tongue too often.

Sakura was invited every morning for a tea ceremony with the clan head and his respective elders. She hated it for she had to elegantly pose in the kimonos provided with soft smiles and few words while they debated war tactics and politics. Great for intel, yet dealing with the gender inequality was nearly not worth it.

The material was suffocating her and she felt a bead of sweat drip down her spine.

"Ah, Sakura-sama, perhaps you grow tired of this?" An elder man, draped in his own fine kimono, probed with a mocking tone.

Bowing her head and then slightly at her waist, her fingers slipped into the long sleeves of the pale green furisode to hide their fidgeting. Suffocating a groan, she raise a weary hand.

"Yes, Senju-sama. My apologies. I do grow weary." Sakura lifted her head, weighed down by the jewelry decorating her bun.

The old man surveyed her before swiping a hand over the table with a haunting chuckle. "Women," he had scuffed.

"Tobirama," Hashirama called from his seated position.

The younger brother who sat diligently behind his brother, shifted forward, bowing his head in acknowledgement despite his brother not being able to see him.

"Yes." Tobirama answered.

"Please escort, Sakura-sama." Hashirama was pointedly watching her, and she fought the urge to bite her lip. "Perhaps a walk in the garden would liven your spirits."

Sakura bowed low at the waist to the table, keeping her face clear of her relief. She'd take his offer even if her company would be sour.

"Yes, I think that shall do." Sakura sat back up, fixing her eyes around the old croons one last time before making to stand. "Please excuse me, thank you."

She was moving with small tight steps. _Back straight, head high,_ she coached herself as she drew her elbows up and held her hands in the sleeves. _Elegant. Poised._

She was maneuvering to the door as the overbearing force of Tobirama appeared to her right. She bowed her head in mild greeting, and she waited for him to slide the door open. Turning around, she bowed low at the waist, elbows firmly held high and her back even to the floor, before practically fleeing the room.

Tobirama was hot on her heels and his aura weighing down on her more so than her formal attire.

When they were out of earshot, she let go of the breath she was unconsciously holding.

"You did well with not baiting them today, princess." Tobirama's remark had Sakura snorting indignantly.

"I do not _bait _them." Sakura snarled, her temper flaring to life.

Tobirama seemed to have a knack for that.

It began two weeks ago when she first was dragged into the morning tea ceremony. She had taken to being firm in regards to their questions, opting to coyly decline answering or leaving her answers open ended. Hashirama had sat proudly next to her. His hand pressed firmly into the side of her thigh as they sat at the table side by side. The elders pressed, but Sakura committed herself to this lie and refused to budge.

The elders continued to try to coax answers from her about whose clan she belonged to, and when she began to give the family name she had given the brothers before, Hashirama had signaled for her to stop. She had snapped her mouth shut with a strained smile stating she did not wish harm to come to her family, bowing her head low.

The elders were not sedated though and continued to question her. When they started to become antsy and aggressive in their interrogation, she simply smiled down her nose at them, lips thin and eyes narrowed. A prime image of a woman in power.

And that is what rocked the boat.

The elders were beyond angry, and she dismissed herself with the silent comfort of Hashirama's support. Tobirama had been the one sent to escort her. Since then, whenever she made a show of power or made snide suggestions and remarks, Tobirama would later escort her out with a small smirk lifting the edges of his otherwise unreadable expression.

It seems they had a common foe.

Yet that didn't stop his own interrogations of her and he perpetually kept goading her anger into life, testing her willpower.

He would rile her with a demeaning remark or a snippy comment if only to stir the fire in her belly, and when she'd get too snarky with him, he'd deposit her in her room for her to dwindle away.

Each day since then followed the same pattern. Her- challenging the elders, being escorted out and coaxed into a battle of wills with the youngest Senju brother.

Today, she had a feeling he'd be following suit.

"The Daimyo's bride," Tobirama began, red eyes mulling over her, "a fierce warrior princess sedated by the few words of a handful of men. How uncharacteristic."

Sakura bit her tongue sharply holding back the sneer. "And yet you, second heir to said clan, can barely get a word in. How characteristic."

His red eyes were piercing her and she raised her chin higher defiantly challenging him to rise to her bait. He didn't displease.

His pale hand was encompassing her chin and twisting her head at an uncomfortable angle, sneering down at her. She held his gaze as he backed her into a pillar. Her back arching to keep from scraping the wood. He loomed over her and she could feel the heat radiating off his body even through the layers of her kimono.

"I've seen you fight and I've seen your soiled hands on the field. Don't be coy with me." He spit, his white hair flaring around him, the red markings on his face sneering at her.

Sakura refused to cave and sneered back at him as well, stepping onto her tiptoes to keep the pressure off her neck.

"What princess fights with such monstrous strength?" He breathed out, his nose brushing over hers.

Sakura nearly whimpered in excitement. She knew she was playing a cat and mouse game with the younger Senju brother, but she wouldn't fight the urge to placate him. He was dangerously close to unraveling her mystery, she knew, yet the idea of keeping him guessing had her veins pumping liquid fire through her.

It was a dangerous game. Perhaps they were fooled, but he wasn't going to be easy to convince.

She whispered heatedly, "A _warrior_ princess."

A nearby giggle breached their cocoon and Tobirama was no longer enveloping her vision. Sakura saw in her peripheral vision two handmaids dancing around them to slip further down the halls. _Great, more fuel to the gossip fire._

Tobirama was moving away and Sakura smirked to herself, rearranging her attire around her. Setting off to trail at a pleasant distance from him, Sakura nearly laughed at his stiff posture.

As they passed the garden, Sakura paused watching the light breeze drift over the flowers. Admittedly, as much as the guilt buried in her surfaced, she felt an immense relief as Tobirama kept his suspicions to himself.

A shinobi like him would be hard won, and she pleasured herself in tasking it to herself to do so.

Hashirama was delightfully easy to keep the illusion up with. Even though he had proposed the idea, she had assumed he may have questioned it himself if he were to reflect back on their encounters. So she had batted her eyes at him softly, brushing his arm gently when he had first told her he would have to share her so called title to the clan elders. He had softened and opened like a flower, hands cupping her shoulders pronouncing his word of protecting to her again.

And she played him like a fiddle.

He was a man of his word, fending off the elders' questions with his own declarations bravely. Sakura just had to pose the part.

Guilt had swam in her several times, but her survival instincts were overbearing and much more important.

Sakura began moving again towards where she found Tobirama watching her like a hawk. His trained eyes scanned her features, and she prayed nothing passed over her face while in her thoughts.

"Tonight," Tobirama bit, teeth flashing under his thin lips.

"Tonight," Sakura whispered scandalously, raising a hand to mockingly cover her mouth.

Tobirama was grabbing her forearm and circling her to her room.

"Tonight is an important celebration ceremony. One of which you'll be required to attend." He was spinning her too fast, and she could barely keep her balance in the restraints of her kimono.

"What celebration?" She sputtered, falling back into the hard planes of his chest while he guided her to her door.

"Hashirama will be announced as clan head."

She frowned, taking small steps to prolong the conversation as he reached around her to open the sliding door. "Isn't already the clan head?"

"No." Was Tobirama's rushed answer.

He was pushing her inside. Swirling to him, Sakura gathered the material of her kimono in her hands. Opening her mouth to inquire more, she paused. His frame was blocking the entirety of the door frame and she struck by how handsome he looked in the morning light. The rays highlighting his white hair and shimmering on his skin.

"Be ready. I will send a handmaid to you when it is time." He barked before closing the door.

Sakura growled, fisting the material of the kimono in her hand before galavanting to the desk. Sliding the shoji window open, she listened to his fleeing steps and she groaned at the thought of having to wear an even _heavier _kimono.

Instead, she opted to sweep the foreboding sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Blinking into the sunlight, she etched the image of the garden in her mind before sitting on the desk to lay against the window pane. Rolling her eyes, she scratched at the base of her neck and rubbed it gently to ease the tension growing there.

She paused. She could hear the rushing footsteps and the chattering of some individuals.

_They're up early today,_ Sakura thought, smiling brightly. Dipping forward, she watched a small girl jump into view, merrily dancing over the floorboards.

"Sakura-chan!" A small girl shouted, running as quick as her small legs could carry her.

Rounding the corner, Sakura spied a teenage boy rushing after the dainty child as he scolded the girl, "It's Sakura-_sama_, dobe!"

Sakura laughed as the girl kept her pace, arms held high, brown hair floating behind her. Sakura lifted her own arms to grab the small girl as the girl lunged at her.

"Good morning, Emiko-chan." Sakura cooed, lifting the five year old high in the air.

She giggled, the sound brilliant and bright, and Sakura giggled with the little girl. Her cute button nose scrunched as Sakura swung her lightly in the air before setting her on her feet.

The twelve year old boy, a kid known as Eiko, was pouting with his hands curled around his sketchbook and utensil pouch. Sakura waved kindly to him and his pale skin flushed a pretty pink hue.

"Eiko-kun." Sakura called, waving him over as she hugged the small girl to her chest, "Come here."

He grumbled under his breath and scowled again, feigning a disinterest. Nonetheless, he came over with a pout. His brown eyes zipping around in a fashion Sakura came to know as his own version of scouting. Sakura chuckled, he always was friendly with his affection when no one was there to see it.

"No one is here besides us, Eiko. Come." She held the girl closer to run her hand over a particularly ticklish spot on the girl's side.

Emiko squealed delightfully trying to squirm away. Sakura held fast before releasing her to grab at the shy boy's arm. He huffed but let her hug him to her. His face brewed pinker.

"Neh, Sakura-sama! Please!" He scowled, brown brows furrowing together, struggling in her embrace.

"Oh hush," Sakura batted at his protests, gathering him in for a tighter hug. "I haven't seen you in two days. Where have you been?"

Emiko was bouncing on her bare toes, arms waving over her head.

"Mama finally had the baby!" Emiko announced with a large grin.

"Oh! That's awesome! You both must be really excited. What did she have?" Sakura finally released the boy and he stumbled away with a grunt.

"A baby, silly!" Emiko was jumping up and down in place, brown pigtails flopping with the movement.

Sakura laughed and Eiko groaned.

"She had a girl." He sighed, rubbing his head with the utensil pouch.

"You must be delighted, Eiko-kun." Sakura teased. The boy fused some more, holding his belongings to him tightly.

"Sure, if that's what you call it." He huffed.

"Sakura-chan, can we go play with the koi?" The little girl asked while hopping closer to the garden.

"We can watch them, Emiko-chan. Fish don't play, silly." Sakura lightly brushed the girl's bangs from her face.

Sakura absolutely adored the siblings. Laughing, she stood from her seat and exited the window to the little girl's happy laughter and the boy's dramatic sigh. Grabbing the girl's hand and the boy's shoulder, she guided them into the garden.

Emiko was darting around the pond, chatting amicably about her new baby sister and how she couldn't wait to show "Chizu" the pretty fish. Eiko huffed, sitting in the grass spreading out his brushes and paints.

Sakura smiled genuinely happy.

Two weeks ago, she had been in her room, boredly counting clouds when the girl had come sprinting down the porch with the sketchbook in her hands. The older sibling followed suit, chasing after her vigorously. Startled, Sakura had leapt up and out the window scaring both children in the process. Since that moment, the children had come every day in the mid-morning and Sakura found her unlikely companions to be the highlight of her day.

She dreaded when they would have to leave in time for lunch.

So, here she sat on the large stone near the koi pond listening to the exaggerated tales of the little girl with the brother adding in his two cents while drawing. Oftentimes, Sakura wanted to peak over his shoulder to see how great of an artist he was, but he was shy, tipping his work away from her.

"Sakura-chan, you look so pretty today." Emiko said with a cheeky grin, her gapped tooth smile friendly.

"Thank you, Emiko-chan, so do you." Sakura pinched the girl's cheek lightly.

"But Sakura-chan, you always look so pretty." The girl whined. "I want to look like you!"

Sakura shushed her, holding her cheek gently. "Hey now, I think you're always pretty. I'm jealous of _you_."

The girl beamed before running laps in the grass around the pond.

"She's right, you know." Eiko murmured, buried in his sketchbook. His tongue poked out as he concentrated harder.

"Mm, what do you mean?" Sakura turned facing him in the sunlight.

"You're always pretty." He flushed, glancing up at her before shyly turning away.

Sakura studied him for a moment, gauging his response with an open mind.

"May I see what you're drawing? You never show me." Sakura asked, taking a keen interest in his work.

Eiko paused, looking up at her before glancing back down to his work. He nodded, adding a few strokes to the page, and then getting up to come closer. She waited patiently for him, Emiko dancing with a butterfly in the background, and he shyly approached her.

Sakura took his sketchbook from him, careful not to ruin the picture, and gasped at the picture. She was looking at herself seated in the garden, wind playing in her hair and the sun beaming down on her. Sakura looked stunning, the color of her kimono highlighting the shade of her pink hair, her smile reflecting back to her beautifully.

"Eiko," she murmured.

"I know. I'm not that good." He muttered, glaring into the pond with his hands fisted at his sides.

She grabbed his bicep, forcing him to look at her. Sakura smiled, eyes watering.

"No, you're not good." She mentioned, fingering the skirts of the page. "You're excellent."

He paused in his self doubting muttering and blinked at her. Sakura brought his chin up and smiled widely. "Do you really think I look like this?"

Eiko was shyly rubbing his head against his shoulder, and Sakura nudged him to get him to speak up. "Yes."

"Thank you." Sakura whispered, heart soaring as his did.

The mood ceased when the old woman came into Sakura's peripheral. Sakura let go of his arm, handing back his work to him and gathered herself up. She pushed Emiko towards her brother, hand firm on the little girl's back.

"Come on now. You two must be going. Your mother must be worried." Sakura cooed.

"Aw! No fun." Emiko cried, pouting as her brother grabbed her hand.

"No running!" Sakura scolded as Emiko tried to pull away from her older sibling.

The two were seen off and Sakura exited her little haven to approach the old woman. The woman nodded, opting not to speak, before nudging Sakura to the bathing room. Sakura sighed, hoping she wouldn't have had to get ready this early.

Sakura washed quickly, as she had grown to understand the old woman was not a patient one, and dried fast before setting to her room in a simple yukata. The old woman sat before her moisturizing Sakura's face with cold, wrinkled hands and set to get ready to paint Sakura's face.

Sakura leaned back, "Please, no oshiroi."

When the old woman scowled, Sakura elaborated, "The white powder makes my skin break out in hives."

The old woman nodded, placing down the brush before picking up another brush. Sakura closed her eyes and let the woman set her makeup. Once she finished, Sakura tried to locate a mirror, but the old woman was moving quickly, _too quickly._

Now had Sakura thought the furisode was difficult to wear, she was sorely disappointed. The junihitoe was barbarically impossible. The twelve layers of kimonos were light individually, but massively heavy once she had slid them on.

The old woman, who never gave her name, helped Sakura fasten each layer tightly to her lithe form. The first layer was a cream, the next a coral, the following a maroon, and the fourth a pale pink. It altered similarly with various patterns until the outer shell of the junihitoe was a pale pink with sakura blossoms spanning the kimono. Holding together her layers was cream obi, the obiage the coral, and the obijime matching the maroon layer.

Lifting the heavy attire, Sakura was grateful she had already slipped on her socks and geta prior to dressing. She was sweating profusely, adjusting her long sleeves to lay away from her body. She froze when she glimpsed the old woman frowning deeply.

Stealing herself for another long bit, Sakura inwardly rolled her eyes. The old woman was skirting about her, tugging at her long hair to pin it to her head. Sakura flinched when the woman pulled a piece too harshly. Soon her fringe was left, a few short pieces in the back slipping free of the bun.

Just when Sakura thought it was over, the old woman began pinning several kanzashi with long gold tassels to her hair and beading in small silver ornaments. Feeling the weight of the ornaments and the tassels bristling along her exposed neck, Sakura's jaw clenched.

_I can't wait for this to be done, _Sakura thought with a sneer.

Soon enough the preparations were done and Sakura was given a small hand held mirror. Sakura blinked stunned. Her lips were painted a traditional red. Her lids dusted in a shimmering pale pink and lined black to match her tinted black lashes.

Sakura felt stunning and blinked several more times at her reflection to ensure what she was seeing was really her. Sakura parted her lips and released a small breath slowly.

Even at the traditional festivals in Konoha, she never wore such elegant and rich attire. She never envisioned herself to look like such royalty, and yet she was.

Sakura gave the mirror back to the old woman, nodding lightly in her thanks.

And soon, Sakura was made aware of the time. A knock at her door had her bristling and rushing to stand. _Slow, Sakura, slow._ She moved to steady herself unused to the weight nor the unstable shoes. _Don't bend too far forward!_

Sakura bowed to the old woman as she slid the door open. When Sakura rose, she met the mesmerizing red gaze of Tobirama. Sakura blushed under his scrutiny and bowed to him as well as he stepped aside, his zori slapping against the wooden porch.

She mulled over his attire, admiring the blue hakama and matching kimono underneath his long white haori. She vaguely wondered if Hashirama would look as handsome.

She paused unsure of why she thought such a thing. Banishing the thought for the meantime, she carefully stepped forward to meet Tobirama.

"You look lovely." She said, tipping her head in greeting.

"Hm." He grunted, hands in his sleeves.

She moved beside him awaiting his direction. Sakura watched as he pulled a fan from his sleeve, holding it out to her.

"I assume you don't have one." He presented her with the long, gold trimmed fan and her stomach fluttered.

"Thank you." She nodded, taking the piece from him with nimble fingers.

Sakura opened the fan to inspect it and admired the floral design. Closing it shut with a snap, she raised her chin and grasped each end in her hands. Tobirama began moving, pace slower than what she knew his normal gait to be, and she followed a moment after him, judging each step carefully.

They walked in silence, Sakura too focused on treading lightly and on breathing shallowly to avoid feeling suffocated in the weight of the material. The old woman was behind her adjusting the length of the last kimono to trail at a decent distance. Sakura flicked her gaze over the old woman who seemed full of life, and Sakura briefly wondered if the woman enjoyed these sorts of things.

The distant booming of drums had Sakura jerking in response and Tobirama was looking over her instantly. Swishing her fan open, Sakura hid her blush behind it coyly praying he didn't see her reaction.

When he made no comment, she fanned herself soothingly and continued forward. Soon she could hear the distant beat of the drums and growing chatter. They weaved through the compound before heading to leave the dwelling. Tobirama paused stepping off the porch to reach his palm up in offering.

Sakura, stunned by his kind gesture, placed her hand in his. His hand curled around hers as she stepped down on shaky legs. His blushing cheeks didn't escape her emerald eyes, and she nodded playfully with a small smirk.

He scuffed jerking his head away to block her view. Sakura giggled behind her hand and followed his lead once again.

Soon Sakura spotted the glow of the lanterns in the evening sun and a large forming crowd. Many people wore stunning kimonos, faces painted and hair done up. She could spy children playing with their fox masks, their echoing laughter filling her ears. Her stomach clenched at the sight, hoping to catch the sight of her two lovely friends, but she shook it off as homesickness.

The two appeared, feet kicking up the gravel announcing their presence as they came closer and soon people were turning at their arrival. Sakura kept her posture even and her steps small. She vaguely imagined _how_ women of prominent clans were to be presented, only having dealt with those of similar status of Ino.

She cursed her luck.

The atmosphere changed upon their arrival in the village center. Everyone turned in hushed awe. Sakura could feel the sweat running down her spine and her jitters coming to life as it seemed the entirety of the clan focused on her. She was minutely grateful for the short termed class back in the academy, and took small breaths of the Autumn air to ease her nerves.

Tobirama seemed unaffected to the naked eye; however, Sakura caught the tick in his neck as he paced beside her guiding her to a center stage. The lanterns cast a soft glow to the stage and she could barely make out the several faces of the clan elders seated forming a semi circle around Hashirama.

Her breath hitched.

Hashirama wore layers of rich greens and cream kimonos, his long haori a stark white. His tanned arms were hidden away in the folds on his lap and his dark brown hair was slicked back. His passive face brightened at their arrival, mouth twitching as if he wanted to smile.

Her heart matched the beating taiko drums, and she could hear the sounds of a koto and biwa. She was sweating more than normal suddenly, mouth dry and anxiety beginning to spread from her head to her toes.

Tobirama and her stopped in their approach to the stepped ahead of her to bow at his waist. Sakura raised her elbows even to the height and width of her shoulders, arms hidden in her sleeves and she bowed her head. Pausing for added effect, she waited until she could see Tobirama rising to a standing position in her periphery before she copied him.

She raised her chin again waiting for Hashirama's nod of approval, arms lowering to her side. Tobirama stepped up first onto the raised stage before turning to her, hand lowered to assist her. Sakura, remembering to stay poised and elegant, took the step on stage without his aid. She swore she saw his mouth tighten when he retracted his hand.

_Now what_, she thought watching as Tobirama sat behind his brother to the right of Hashirama. She waited, eyeing the places left open unsure of where to step, and then she caught Hashirama's right arm shifting. She chanced a glance at his warm eyes, and saw a minuscule flash to his right.

_Right it is, _Sakura adjusted her body to follow Tobirama and she sat upon a plush pillow with her legs folded under her uncomfortably. _Dear Lord, this is going to be long._

Drums banged louder and louder until it came to a halt at the hand of one of the elders. He signaled for the crowd to quiet. It died into a hush and people pressed closer to the stage to get a better view as the elder stood to begin the ceremony.

Sakura fought the stiffness in her back, keeping her back aligned in a straight line, shoulders pressed back. Throughout the beginning of the ceremony, Sakura fought the pang of her stomach cramping. Settling it as nerves once again, she inwardly groaned, biting her tongue as the elder droned on.

Sakura opted to fidgeting with her fan, but when she caught a small boy in the front mimicking her she stopped. The ceremony dragged on.

Many elders spoke of honor and morality. The tales of battles won and Senju pride were woven together. At first, Sakura listened with rapt attention, but as the evening grew later and the sky darker, Sakura fought the urge to yawn.

Eyeing a child doing so, she mentally shook herself.

She couldn't openly disrespect the Senju brothers, especially considering their hospitality. Her stomach cramped and she flexed the muscle hoping it wouldn't growl in hunger. _Now that would be embarrassing._

The evening ceremony began to conclude with the oldest elder, a weathered old man with a walking stick, stepping forward with a head ornament with the clan symbol etched into the metal. Hashirama, who had been silent during the whole practice, bowed low with his forehead pressing into the wooden stage.

Sakura envied him as he straightened momentarily for the old man to place the ornament on his head. The crowd erupted into cheers, rice and paper confetti blowing into the sky. The drums began again, and Hashirama stood proudly.

In her own awe, she had leaned forward. Her fan fell with a crack against the wood, and soon she was scrambling to pick it up when several people, the Senju brothers included, fixated on her. Sweat poured down her back, and she nodded slowly in appreciation of the new clanhead.

Hashirama's glittering eyes widened and then narrowed as he smiled. Her breath hitched at the sight, his teeth broadly showing and his lips separated wide. He made a handsome sight and she was envious as he returned that smile to the crowd.

He raised his arms to quiet the cheering, and once it settled, he began his own speech.

"Today marks a new era. An era where we aim for peace and prosperity. As Senju, we have a duty to our people and to the people of the world who need us. May our children no longer die in battle and may they become strong in our image. May our generations to come grow old and live fulfilling lives."

The crowd erupted in a roar and the cheering began all over again. Hashirama brought his arms up again and the cheers cooled.

"Let us drink and celebrate a bright future!"

With the ceremony complete, the cheers rang loud and Sakura was amazed at the unity. _Is this what it is like, _Sakura glanced at the backs of the Senju brothers, _to be part of a clan?_

Tobirama stood, placing his hand on his brother's shoulder. Hashirama faced his brother and put his own hand on Tobirama's shoulder. Hashirama's beaming smile, heated Sakura's face and she opened her fan to cool herself politely. The brothers turned to her, and she counted down from ten. Standing on numb legs, she forced herself to approach the two.

Bowing, and subtly stretching her cramping lower back, Sakura righted herself.

"Congratulations, Hashirama-sama. Your people are blessed to have you." She said.

Hashirama chuckled, rubbing his neck and waving her comment aside. "Thank you, but it's nothing-"

"Aniki." Tobirama interrupted, scolding him.

Hashirama's laughter had her wishing she was anyone other than who they presumed she was, wishing she could join in fruitfully.

The elders descended the stage, heading in to attend a feast of their own. And the brothers were on the move, following after them. Sakura wasn't sure entirely what she was to do and waited until Tobirama was guiding her to come. She trudged carefully trying to maneuver under the pressure of her attire.

The crowd was dancing and sharing drinks. Children were given trinkets and treats. And in the glow of the lanterns, Sakura found herself peering around, senses tingling and her awareness sputtering. Finding no one else riled, she continued after the brothers to a slightly more secluded garden where a low table was set and various cushioned seats laid.

Sakura waited for the brothers to sit, but she frowned when they left a cushioned seat between them.

"Sit, Sakura, join us!" Hashirama beckoned, patting the seat.

Sakura groaned, seating herself there, uncomfortably pressed between the two with a murmur of gratitude. She elegantly folded her hands in her lap before remembering her manners. Grabbing the bottle of sake, she poured each of them one before serving herself.

They cheered, and she swallowed back the bitter taste eagerly, her tongue lapping at the last drop. Her stomach was churning and she tried to recall when she last ate. Staying poised, she poured each a second round and they began to eat.

She chewed on the pork thoughtfully watching the party. After the meal was finished, people were coming up to pay their respects to the new clan head with low bows and exaggerated shows of status.

_Politics,_ Sakura grumbled to herself, basking in the afterglow of a few cups of sake.

Hashirama directed his interest to her once there was a break in the line. "Sakura, are you enjoying yourself?"

She peaked through her lashes at him over the rim of her cup. She tipped her head in acknowledgment and licked a bit of sake from her lips.

"Yes, thank you." She peered into the evening sky and recalled the last time she had attended such a beautiful celebration. "I thought you were the clan head. My apologies for not presenting you with a gift."

He laughed wholeheartedly. "Nonsense! You shouldn't worry about those things."

"But Hashirama-" Sakura bit, embarrassingly reaching for his arm.

"Do you miss these sorts of things?" He probed, suddenly serious.

Unsure of what he was asking, she mumbled, "What do you mean?"

"Do you miss celebrating with your clan?" Hashirama murmured, searching for her answer.

Sadness swam to life in her and her cup nearly cracked in her fingers. Setting it down, Sakura was unable to bear the weight of his gaze. Fumbling with her fan, she opened it to fan herself.

She did. She missed Konoha.

She missed spending the summer festivals fighting with Ino over who would catch the most goldfish. She missed being dragged into Naruto's favorite ramen stand and she missed scolding Kakashi for reading his smut in public. She missed the long shifts in the hospital where she attended, and she missed teasing smaller genin as the chased cats all over her beloved village.

She missed her precious people dearly, and she doubted she would see them again.

"I do." Sakura finally answered, dejectedly realizing her situation. "And I doubt I'll ever be able to go back."

"I'm sorry." He grabbed her hand, rubbing soothing circles with his thumb. "For everything you've lost."

Tobirama's aura was luring her to look at him. He held her eyes for a minute, but the brute force of her realization had her turning from him to watch as more people came to pay their respects. She swallowed her pride and sipped her sake to appease her sorrows.

The solemn moment was gone and she braved a new face at the arrival of some prominent merchants. More people were making their way to the trio, and she reengaged her act, politely greeting the newcomers.

She was warm and relaxed, something she hadn't entirely felt since assuming her makeshift title, constantly aware of who was watching her. Sakura swirled the dark liquid in her cup, bringing it up to her lips to sip on. Eyeing the elder coming, she vaguely recalled him being _quite_ interested in her origins.

Feigning disinterest at his arrival, she exuded as much energy into remaining stoic in his presence. The elder openly stared, and Hashirama cleared his throat drawing the attention back to himself. He bowed to the elder and engaged him in conversation.

Sakura caught the tail end of a marriage remark, but missed the rest as the elder sauntered off. Hashirama's cheeks were pink and Tobirama was scowling, his own cheeks red.

Sakura blinked and when neither met her gaze, she downed the rest of her cup. Pouring a hefty amount in her cup, she opened her mouth to strike a conversation of her own up, but she was drowned out by a sharp explosion.

The ground shook and she could see a large cloud of smoke from the opposite side of the dwelling. She could hear people screaming, and the pang of dread sat heavy in her stomach. Hashirama and Tobirama were already on their feet, alert and jutting forward, chakra flaring.

She dropped her cup and stood abruptly, grabbing the bottom layers of her junihitoe in her small hands. Hashirama was turning to her, hands on her shoulders as she rose.

"Sakura-"

"Go!" She demanded with a snarl.

Both brothers were gone in a blink, auras swirling around her. Hefting the layers up, Sakura darted toward the fight. Power pumped into her legs. The screaming grew and she dodged families fleeing the fire. Smoke billowed from another explosion, and she weaved between men grabbing their swords and kunai to leap into battle. Several bodies of shinobi scampered in her vision as it swam.

_Emiko, Eiko!_ She scrambled to push her legs fast, but her junihitoe was heavy and wore her down. Her geta scraped against the gravel. Nearly tripping over the body of a man, his lifeless face staring into her soul, she felt her sense of duty spring into action.

She stopped. Ripping open his kimono, she felt about for any weapon. Cursing her luck, she jumped back up to head into the compound. Her head rocking with the amount of alcohol she had consumed. She stamped down the dread and guilt in her stomach, screeching the names of her beloved friends.

She was zooming around corners, pink fringe flooding her vision as she headed in the direction they usually came from but stopped when she saw the old woman holding a wrapped body. It was small and bundled under layers of sheets splattered red.

Sakura's heart nearly stopped. _Please, please don't be them._

Sakura skidded to a halt, hands running over the old woman, begging to turn the woman to her to see the bundle. The woman began moving further away, carrying the body with her, and a small hand fell into view.

"The baby." The old woman crooned, her first words were gravely and low as if unused for centuries.

Sakura grabbed the woman harshly. Fear etching over her face. The medic counted in her head, trying to soothe the ache in her chest. Her hand glowed green even as she peeled back the sheets. Bile rose in her throat at the bloodied face of the dead baby.

Renewed vigor, Sakura shoved the corpse into the old woman's arms. "Where's Emiko? Eiko? Where are they?"

She was shaking the old woman, her fear laughing in her face as the old woman blinked up at her. She shook her again.

"Tell me!" Sakura growled, teeth grinding together.

"Come." The old woman was moving quickly and Sakura shoved down her instinct to veer after her.

They were moving erratically into the farthest edge of the village, an unfamiliar section covered heavily in trees and bushes. Sakura kept her kimono hitched in her hands, the thick layers protecting her from the branches clawing at her.

"Please, hurry!" Sakura cried, the high pitches of screams vibrating in her skull.

The woman moved faster, the bloodied baby tight to her chest. Seeing a small clearing ahead, she dipped around the old woman. The trees and bushes parted under her strong grip and she burst through shouting for the kids.

"Emiko! Eiko! It's me, Sakura!" Desperate to see them, she whirled in circles. "Please come out!"

A dark chuckle escaped from behind her and Sakura froze.

_It's a trap, _her instinct growled, the pangs in her stomach reminding her of the day's events. _It's an ambush._

Sakura hiccuped, her mistake clear to her, the glaring truth in front of her. Her hands were shaking and she circled to face the old woman whose skin was beginning to morph and _smooth. A henge._

Memories of the old woman moving too fast passed in her mind's eye. The old woman's skin smoothing.

In her place, stood the hunched form of a middle aged man, his skin rippling into deep scars and his mocking laughter crooning. He looked to be average height and build, his black hair and brown eyes standard. The man continued to shift, dropping the lifeless baby to the ground, and he straightened. A nasty scar ran from his chin up the side of his face just under his clouded eye.

_Rogue, _she breathed with a hiss.

He was laughing still, hands curled around two kunai from a pouch at his waist.

"So you _are _the Daimyo's bride." He twirled the metal, the moonlight glinting off the surface. "He's paid a hefty price for your return."

She hissed like a cat, skin prickling as he trailed a circle around her.

"Where are the children?" She snarled, moving to keep him within her sight.

"There never was any _Emiko _or _Eiko_, princess." He sneered, his mouth revealing black decaying teeth.

She didn't like his answer and she threateningly made a show of bringing her chakra to her hands. He snickered, kunai rotating in his palms. He threw one, planting it in the ground in front of her.

"Take it, princess." He mocked, finger curling upwards, beckoning her to him. "Fight me the same way you fought my brethren in the desert."

"I don't need anything but my hands." She lured, dropping the material of her junihitoe.

He leapt then with a sickening grin and she began weaving. As they danced in the trees, she noted his attire. It was all black, no symbol etched in. He was remarkably quick, but nowhere near as talented as she despite how inebriated she was.

When her geta slipped on the branch she landed on, Sakura growled. He pressed his advantage and she kicked back up into the tree turning at her waist. Pouring chakra into her spin, she flung her geta at him. Her opponent barely dodged and the earth cracked with a resounding boom where her geta splintered the ground.

"What kind of princess are you?" He growled, flinging several kunai at her, clearly tired of their charade.

She weaved through the shower of metal, plucking one from the air to spin it back to him. She landed gracefully, her feet much sturdier without her shoes. He fell with a thud, grabbing at his abdomen where she hit her mark.

"A warrior princess." She leapt at him, fist cocked back to knock his teeth out.

His jaw cracked and she smiled pitifully at him as he slumped to the ground. She stomped his head down with her foot, his head grinding into the soil.

"Tell your Daimyo he'll have to try harder than that."

"You can tell him yourself."

Barely having enough time to dip under the flying appendage, Sakura frowned. She thrashed, legs bucking under the weight of her attire, as she dodged a series of jabs. Rolling away, she stood, grabbing at her pained shoulder, sucking in a deep breath of air. When her shoulder grew numb and her arm hung uselessly, she gauged the intruder.

"Who would have thought the Hyuuga would sick low enough to. ally with rogue nin." Sakura mocked, some strands of her hair tickling the back of her neck from where they slipped out.

The Hyuuga stood, crouched in a deep seated pose, his one arm bent towards his body protectively and the other held straight out.

"You have a hefty price," he drew, tone bare of any emotion, "but what your actions at the Uchiha camp sealed your fate."

Sakura clucked her tongue against her teeth. The memories of the children crying in fear, of being ambushed, and of fleeing rode in tidal waves. She would _never_ regret what she did. Against her instinct, she lunged forward and the two began a deadlier dance.

She dodged his skilled hands, attempting to draw out an opening. They continued like this until her patience ran thin. Her fist glew with her chakra and she tore apart the surrounding trees aiming for his brooding smirk. In her desperation, she left herself open and he made a few jabs which locked her already useless arm from regaining its sensation.

Sakura's temper flared. "So you took advantage of the Daimyo's press for revenge?"

He chose not to answer and his silence was demeaning. She retreated a few paces back to grab at the kunai in her prior opponent's abdomen. She yanked it out, blood spurting over her gown. She slashed at the Hyuuga and caught the edges of his long hair.

The Hyuuga dipped under her arm and flung his hands into a flurry of seals. She had enough time to drop and roll away as his Byakugan traced her movement. Sakura's jaw snapped shut as a body fell from overhead. The Hyuuga paused, recognizing his clansme's corpse and he sprung up to avoid Tobirama's sword. He narrowly missed the blade, hands flying into another wave of seals to fight the master swordsman.

Tobirama paid her no attention, jumping to attack the Hyuuga. She focused on drawing her healing chakra to her pressure point when she had the sudden urge to tuck away. Finally agreeing to her instinct, she dropped and rolled. Another Hyuuga brushing the area she was standing in.

Once she was out of the way, she stood, kimono dragging against the ground. Tobirama was focused on the first opponent, his hands weaving into signs to fight the other. The newcomer dashed to attack Tobirama's backside, and Sakura jerked in response.

Leaping to Tobirama's back, she took the brunt of the attack- the Gentle Fist striking her chakra system directly. She felt the sudden absence of the cool flowing chakra from her arms and her right leg where he managed to pierce the points surrounding her hip. Numbness crept in her limbs, but sheer willpower had her raising her elbow with the last of her chakra in the appendage. She crashed it down onto his head. The crack was deep and crushing.

The Hyuuga fell instantly and she had enough strength to roll away to back into a tree. Tobirama finished his opponent easily, his sword running through the Hyuuga and he shoved the body from him. Tobirama turned to her with half lidded eyes.

A whoosh of air left her and she sank against the tree, the bark scratching at her neck. Her left leg was unable to hold her as she realized her chakra network was blocked. Shakily, she counted how many pinpoints the Hyuuga struck and she murmured a curse before subjecting herself to waiting out the effects, her head too dizzy with alcohol to process it much sooner.

He was before instantly, searching for open injuries and she grunted.

"So much for being a warrior princess, huh?" She laughed without mirth.

"Don't be foolish." Tobirama said, the timbers of his voice thick.

He made a disapproving sound when his brows furrowed. Something sat like a rock in her stomach, and she could only watch as he spun in time, sword raised. His sword clanged against the metal of another. The two locked into stance, and Sakura felt her world spin around her.

Izuna stood firmly, sharingan blazing with his blade struggling to push Tobirama's off.

"Uchiha." Snarled the white haired man, shoulders shaking in unconcealed hatred.

"Senju." Izuna spit, teeth flashing back.

They struggled, equally locked, blades sparking from the friction.

The world spun in a rush, and Sakura felt heat pool into the depths of her stomach as the treetops rustled. The bodies of Hashirama and Madara dropping to land across the clearing she made. Both clan heads were taunt, muscles bunched to leap into battle as they faced off.

Swallowing down the lump in her throat, Sakura panted. Her skin feverish as the eyes of both parties fell to her.

"Shit." She breathed.


	12. Chapter 12

**Founding Love**

Chapter Twelve

Sakura was practically swimming in her sweat. Beads dripped down her brow and pooled at her lower back, her hands clammy at her sides. She felt _so_ exposed and open. Her junihitoe was spread wide, her pale legs gleaming in the moonlight, having fallen open in her descent against the tree. The junihitoe was drooping on her shoulders; the layers were loosened in her squabble and she could feel the cool air brushing over her neck and clavicle.

She attempted to close her legs, but only found one working properly from her encounter with the Hyuuga. Cursing her Shishou's luck, Sakura raised a lip in a snarl, angrily trying to cover herself to no avail. She folded her left leg over the other trying to hide her womanhood.

She was _so exposed._

Sakura felt vulnerable, an emotion she was not used to as a grown woman. She was used to being a fiery kunoichi- a viper laying in wait to snatch its prey, a wild tigress stalking the forest floors for trespassers, even a fierce ox strong and unyielding.

She wasn't used to being the prey, unused to being stalked and weak. However, here she sat. She was all these things in the moment and she tried to warn the pair of brothers with a particularly low snarl.

"Sakura," Hashirama was the first to break the silence stretching over the clearing.

When her eyes flicked to him, he continued, "Are you hurt?"

Sakura hated the way his eyes freely trailed over her, inspecting her bloodied clothes. She tipped her head forward to glare up at him through her lashes.

"No."

The Uchiha brothers were taking turns glancing down at her, particularly Madara whose spinning tomoes were hovering over her legs.

"Don't lie." Madara lulled, fingers gripping his gunbai in a ready stance.

Hashirama was investigating further from the distance, and she caught him staring down at the crease in her legs. She crossed her left leg farther over, unsure of why the close scrutiny.

"You can't move your limbs, can you?" Madara baited.

Sakura was grinding her teeth. The tension was palpable and she visibly moved her head to avoid conveying the emotion in her face.

"Let me look at it, Sakura." The tone Hashirama expressed was pleading and she forced herself to brave the situation.

"No." Izuna snarled, pushing further into Tobirama. The metal of his sword groaned from the pressure and Tobirama's stance widened to bear the tension.

The Senju brothers were silently communicating, she determined, as Hashirama focused on the battling duo. Madara was subtly moving toward her and Hashirama flicked his attention back to his opponent.

"She isn't going with you, Uchiha." Tobirama said, voice full of anger while he strained to adjust his position, feet jutting beneath his heels.

"And she isn't staying with you, Senju." Izuna retorted, face twisting into a scowl.

Sakura was confused. _He didn't like me when he thought I was a Senju, _she thought, _so what's different now?_

"Let her decide." Hashirama said calmly, the wind splaying his hair over his shoulder.

She swallowed a lump down in her throat when Madara stood straighter and inspected her again. Shivers raking down her spine, Sakura glared into his eyes openly.

"She has more value as an Uchiha than as a Senju."

She frowned, "I won't be used as a pawn in whatever game you're playing."

"There is no _game._" His sharingan was spinning and she felt fear bubble in her chest.

When nothing came of it, she skirted her awareness as best as she could. Feeling no genjutsu, she chewed her lip.

"She doesn't want to be with you. She is ours to protect." Tobirama stated.

The sudden admission had her reeling and she wished she could see his face to gauge his emotions, even if they were carefully smoothed over. Izuna wasn't pleased with the answer though, driving forward with his sword. The two separated and jumped apart- the Senju on one side and the Uchiha on the other.

"She saved _our _warriors. She is _ours._"

Madara's baritone voice rumbled in her chest and his words bounced in her head. _Is this why he's here,_ her emerald eyes committed to memory his stance, _does he still think I'm some prisoner of war? Some prize to be won? Or is he insinuating something else?_

She voiced her opinion loudly, the outburst surprising even herself.

The men were all looking her over and she wished she had the use of her limbs to beat down their misogynistic behavior.

"You would no longer be a prisoner." Izuna started, his own tomoes swirling slowly. "You'd be a part of us."

Madara added, his hand closing around his gunbai tightly as he shifted it to his back, "We do not take kindly to those taking what belongs to us."

She scowled dangerously. "I don't belong to anyone!"

Hashirama was sympathizing with her with his hand held out, but his words said otherwise. "You have to pick. With your skills and status, you cannot go far without assigning yourself a new allegiance. The Daimyo would come for you."

Hot tears pricked the back of her eyes in her frustration and her teeth grit. "Why?"

His brown eyes were warm when he shifted his stance to appear more relaxed. She could tell he was uncomfortable though based on the muscle tensing in his neck and the way his stance remained wide. They were squaring off with a semblance of familiarity. _How many times have they done this?_

"Picking would mean war between our clans. We won't give up so easily." Madara goaded, his chakra beginning to whirl.

Tobirama bristled, his chakra reacting to the enemy, rising and spinning. Hashirama grabbed his brother's shoulder as if to stifle the energy in him. Sakura felt herself choking on an abrupt thought. '_Picking would mean war between our clans.'_

The clans would be fighting indefinitely. She could see the pride in each of the brother's faces and she leaned back into the tree with the realization- _how long will they continue to fight_? _How else would the clans forge an alliance? Konoha would never exist if I picked a side. What would happen to my Naruto, Sasuke, Sai if Konoha didn't exist?_

Sakura stared into the silent canopy of the forest and she unconsciously shook. _How can I protect my loved ones if I've already messed this up so much? _She exhaled with a dejected hiccup.

"But do we really have to? Can't we work towards peace? Haven't we seen enough?" Hashirama begged. He opened his arms wide, brows arching as he addressed Madara.

"You took what was guaranteed ours, Hashirama." Madara bit, his gloves crinkling into fists.

_Guaranteed? _Hashirama's face turned tense and Tobirama's shoulders rose higher up. Madara caught her questioning gaze and his lip curled at the corner.

"Did they not tell you, kunoichi?" Madara's mocking tone had her flinching as she sought truth in Hashirama's face. "When you attacked me, they gave you up as my prisoner to end the battle."

Sakura's face was contorting and she shook her head violently. "Absolutely not! They wouldn't do that!"

She felt a disbelief quake in her as Hashirama's face darkened, his face unable to meet hers. Tobirama remained stoic. His tellall was his finger flicking on the hilt of his blade, his knuckles burning white.

"Hashirama-" she called, voice quivering. "Is it true?"

His silence sealed the truth and nausea swam in her. _Look at how easy they were to give me up,_ she seethed, forcing the image from her head.

"Why did you come back for me then?" Sakura cracked. "You were following us outside the encampment and then you were there when it ambushed. Why go through all that trouble?!"

Sakura's gut was churning and she felt her hot tears wetting her lashes. Blinking them away hastily, she attempted to remain strong. She struggled to sit straight against the rigid bark of the tree to glare menacing at the Senju brothers, her hands unable to grip the blades of grass beside her.

The brothers gave no answer and she thought she saw guilt overwhelm Hashirama. His shoulders visibly sagged and he drooped. Sakura nearly sympathized with him, but the pain was real. She _shouldn't_ have trusted them. They were shinobi even if they were the founders of her home.

"Sakura, please," Hashirama begged from a distance. "I'm sorry."

Sakura sat awkwardly, her leg cramping and skin profusely sweating. She tried to imagine what she would do if she was in his position. She vaguely thought she would have the same moral standards to not _blatantly use_ someone; however, she knew he made a better choice for the sake of his clan.

She was angry, but she would not fault him entirely.

"Sakura, let me look you over."

He was attempting to appease her, to rebuild the trust in their makeshift relationship and she shoved the idea down. It was overwhelming and she wasn't sure what to do or who to believe. Her predicament was unreal and she was having a hard time coping with the revelations.

She still needed to make a decision. One for the better good of Konoha.

Swallowing her pride and pain, she closed her eyes, nodding her head. She could hear his light footfalls, and she startled when a matching set followed. Her head was spinning and she barely managed to open her eyes to see Madara mirroring Hashirama's approach.

They were sizing the other up, taking hesitant steps and cautiously staying far enough from the other. Sakura snapped her teeth to garner their attention and regretted it when their scrutiny reflected on her.

Hashirama crouched to her left, roving over her petite body with brown orbs. His hands hovered, unsure of what to do.

"If I was a man, would this have ever been an issue?" She murmured, catching them off guard with her question.

The four looked uncomfortable and she was grateful for her sex for once since entering this era. Flicking her pink fringe from her flushed face, she sighed attempting to roll her numb shoulders.

"What do I need to do?" Hashirama begged, hands glowing a soft green as he brought his chakra to the surface.

She gulped down her nerves. "You need to apply your healing chakra directly into the points in my chakra system."

At his questioning glance, she clarified, "It's similar to the acupuncture points."

He frowned at her terminology and she sighed. Unsure of how to further describe it, she searched for another explanation, absently chewing her painted lip. She was interrupted from her musings when Madara interjected.

"I will guide you, Hashirama."

The pair glowered at the other and Madara crouched to her right, the leaves crinkling. His sharingan was spinning faster and she lowered her eyes cautiously to his sharp chin.

"Start at her shoulder," Madara reached out and she hid a flinch as he placed his index and middle finger on her. "Press here."

"Hashirama," she coached. "Draw your healing chakra there, you should feel a pulsation. Give a quick surge of chakra there and disperse it."

He eagerly agreed, bringing his index and middle finger to the exact spot where Madara pointed to. He closed his eyes, brows furrowing and he hummed in his throat.

"I can't feel it." He admitted sourly after a pregnant pause.

Sakura frowned, "You can't?"

He shook his head, and Madara pressed Hashirama's fingers in closer through the material to aid him. Hashirama strained harder, brows furrowing together and a hint of a wrinkle forming, but shook his head.

"Nothing?" Sakura stammered, choking on her surprise.

"Your junihitoe must be blocking his chakra receptors from yours." Madara assumed, inching in closer.

Sakura paled and then flushed immediately. "Of course."

The trio sat strangely close and she felt her heart hammer in her chest uncomfortably. _Oh, please no._

"Remove her layers." Madara ordered.

Her eyes widened perceptively wide and her mouth dropped open in protest. Cursing, she snapped at Hashirama, "I swear to Kami if you-"

"I would never!" He bellowed, hands held up in front of him.

"Let him." Madara barked at her. "Or remain vulnerable for however long."

Sakura hated dealing with reason yet she hated dealing feeling vulnerable. She scuffed, sucking on her teeth and biting her lip. She locked a ferocious glare at the duo, daring them to act inappropriately.

Heat waved over her as Hashirama entered her personal space and tenderly loosened her obi. She flushed, feeling the heat coating her neck and face, and she prayed it didn't dip further down. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when he leaned close enough to smell his scent- warm pinewood. She turned her head away from him as his hair brushed her nose.

Hashirama tugged at the layers of kimonos, loosening each one until the front was dipping lower and the front started to slide. The air was cool against her feverish skin and she was relieved momentarily from the thick attire.

"That's enough." She said, hoping her voice didn't waver.

Madara's hand, _when had he removed his glove,_ was scorching when he pressed his fingers into her left shoulder crossing over her. He smelt like a fire, spicy mahogany and smoke. She gulped, once again coaching Hashirama.

"I can feel it." The oldest Senju licked his lips.

"Do it quick, like a jab with your chakra." She guided, nervously flicking her gaze between the clan heads.

He jabbed her with his chakra, and she felt the nerve stumble to life. She inhaled sharply and felt the tingling of awareness creep into her shoulder. It was like pins and needles as if she had slept on it the wrong way, but she could feel a thrum of light chakra. _Oh, it'll be awhile before I can fully use it._

Letting out a shaky breath, she opened her eyes, _when had they closed, _and she affirmed the sensation was there. She took a minute to adjust before Hashirama began peeling down her kimonos.

Panic set in and she stammered, "No, no! Please, go up the sleeves."

The duo took on the task of holding the sleeves up, the layers heavy and thick. Madara rolled the sleeves up as best as he could before he held it open with one hand to use the other hand to skirt up before touching another bundle of nerves. Hashirama's hand followed, dancing along her skin to meet Madara's fingers. Hashirama jabbed it, proving to be a quick study, and they finished her arm with relative ease.

Her skin was blazing with awareness. The skin bunching and bubbling as their fingers ghosted over it. The hair standing on end and she gulped down her anxiety. _It's completely innocent_, she told herself, trying to ignore the uncomfortable tingle from the apex of her thighs.

They shifted to the other arm after rolling the junihitoe sleeves down and repeated the same process. Coaxing her hands to flex once they finished, Sakura frowned. Her arms and hands were sore and barely prickling to life. Her arms were too sluggish to move, a result of being blocked for an extended period of time. _Fucking Hyuuga._

Sakura shuttered, leaning her head back to rest on the tree when a rather sharp prickle shot up her arms from clenching her hands too tight.

"Sakura?" Hashirama was pressing closer to her and she could feel him running his cool hand over her bare shoulders. _When had it fallen so low,_ she swallowed while the cool air skimmed her exposed collarbone.

"I can't feel them well enough to alleviate the other point."

"Other point?" He murmured.

Madara clarified for her. "Her right hip is blocked."

Dread set in and she blew a breath out of her mouth to blink into the canopy.

"Why me?" She muttered wanting to run her hand through her hair.

"Sakura." Madara was commanding her attention again and she nervously glanced at him through her lashes. "The longer it is blocked, the longer you may risk having permanent damage."

Her modesty should not have been a concern. She had been trained to handle these situations. She took classes on how to be seductive and immodest, to use her womanly charms to lure men. Sakura knew being a virgin was extremely rare, especially at her age, for her line of work. She knew Tsunade had passed those missions to other women in her academy class to preserve her innocence, but Sakura wished she had never done so. Perhaps this would be easier then.

She had always imagined Sasuke being the one to touch her intimately. She had imagined it would be romantic- candlelit dinner and an evening exploring their passions. She'd be ready and willing to share her life with him. It would be beautiful and magical.

This definitely wasn't what she pictured.

Guaranteed, she knew it wasn't the whole nine yards. It was just two of the strongest shinobi to ever live having to reach up her kimono to intimately touch over her uncovered hip and waist to relieve the pressure on her chakra points. Her bare skin.

Heat was pooling in her abdomen and she was uncomfortably hot suddenly. Her leg squeezed together as her lower abdomen clenched when Madara ran his hand up the top of her thigh without a warning, his long fingers skirting over the inside of her thigh. Hashirama was mirroring him, his hand a second after Madara's with his fingers crawling up the outside of her thigh.

Her breath hitched and both hands froze.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she dropped her head back to lean into the tree, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Just get it over with." She panted, imagining her face to be redder than a tomato.

They were moving again and a string of pleasure shot down her spine, her back arching as Madara's hand molded over her hip bone to the top of her waist. Swallowing a shiver, Sakura sucked in a breath of air to calm her frayed nerves. But when Hashirama's more timid hand came slower over the curve of her hip, she exhaled sharply.

Madara pressed his hand into her waist and she felt Hashirama swipe the junihitoe further open. _Oh God, _she panicked, _they're going to see everything!_

Everything came fast.

Her head shot up and in an instant a wave of sensation shot over her hip. She fought back a moan as they made quick work of releasing the pressure points in her right leg, her leg jerked in response. Her right thigh bounced up creating a sensational friction between her thighs, and she moaned loudly in response. Sakura involuntarily shut her thighs around Hashirama's hand in surprise and Madara grabbed her knee to push her leg down, his other hand planted next to her head.

And then they all froze.

Her lips parted and she panted. Embarrassment flooded her and she found her arms were moving on their own accord to close the junihitoe to her chest. She was trembling, burning and flushed, as her leg began to prickle to life with her chakra being released.

It was a rush. Her core wound tight and her legs clamped together, trapping Hashirama's hand near her womanhood with Madara's scalding hand encompassing and rubbing intimate circles on her knee.

Time was moving slowly in this moment as she caught both men hovering closer. _Since when did they even move this close,_ and Sakura could barely think as her senses were in overdrive.

"Sakura." Tobirama called from the distance.

She felt like a mess. A hot, pink mess and she panted harder as Madara's thumb brushed a sensitive spot on the inside of her knee. Slowly, as if she would be pounced on if she moved too quickly, she eased her thighs to slide apart allowing Hashirama to remove his hand.

"I'm ok." Sakura murmured, fully aware she wasn't able to look into either of their handsome faces.

Hashirama was dragging his hand away and her breath hitched as his nails brushed the tender flesh of the inside of her thigh. Madara was unrelenting in his ministrations and she could barely focus.

She had to get away.

And when Madara finally did draw away, she swung her good leg into the ground cracking it in an explosive wave. Dirt flung up around them and a small crater began to form. The men jumped back startled at the attack and she ducked around the tree she was leaning on, groaning as she forced her numb limbs into moving.

Wasting no time, Sakura curled into the underbrush of the forest to scurry into the foliage. She masked her chakra and slipped a layer or two of her junihitoe in random places to distract the set of brothers in their pursuit. Keeping an ear around her, she weaved around the trees, the darkness covering her.

She would not be forced to pick.


	13. Chapter 13

**Founding Love**

Chapter Thirteen

Sakura had heaved several times along her route as her nerves turned from tight bundles into anxious jitters. Wiping the edge of her sleeve against the lines of her mouth, she pulled the loose strands of her hair from her sweaty face. Looking into the dense forest, she stood from her hunched position to readjust her clothes.

Heading back to the edge of the tree line, she dipped under a low branch to head to a river she had scouted the day before. Upon arrival, she dipped her hands in the cool stream before splashing her face and rinsing out her mouth. Spitting bitterly, she recalled the start of her endeavor.

She had managed to dip away for several days with no sight of either brother duo, and she was entirely grateful to be free of their presence. Both brother duos being entirely overwhelming and stirring up several mixed emotions in the pit of her stomach. She had trekked far into the wilderness of the Land of Fire, the sun scorching her back through its leaves and the pains of seeing such an untamed amount of land surprised her.

Sakura sighed thinking about how desperate she was to escape. But was she ever even trapped? Her chakra had long since recovered and she had managed to store the vast amounts into her seal which she had been careful to paint over in disguise each morning.

She easily could have fought her way out sooner, her hands cloaked in her strong will, though not each brother duo together. She doubted Hashirama would have put up much of a fight. He was too kind and gentle. His demeanor is clearly open and readable. Tobirama would have fought her surely to test her strength and her allegiance. She had the faint idea he was able to sense her harboring a secret, one she could hardly explain, and he'd force her into spilling her truths. Now the other brothers were a different story. Madara seemed to enjoy coaxing her into battle- a test of wills and submission. He would fight her out of pleasure. Izuna would fight hard, clearly unrelenting in his distaste for her affiliation which was unfounded in this time. He would fight to kill if given the opportunity.

Sakura surprised herself at the sheer amount of unrelenting desire to _stay_ in her stomach. This was familiar in a sense to her, seeing the faces of her known founders and enemies. That's the only reason she surmised her desire to see their defined faces and eerily overpowering chakra wells. But Sakura could feel the stirrings of something more in her chest, pounding frantically and excitedly at the prospect of seeing her captors and hosts.

Shaking her head, she refocused on her reflection in the water. Slashing her face one last time, she shook her hands and took a deep breath in, humid air filling her lungs.

She would need to divest these clothes elsewhere and trade for something much more practical. Then would be the need to gather supplies to sustain her voyage to _wherever_ she was going to.

Sakura stood on bare feet and trudged on careful not to step on any sharp stones at the river bed. She jumped over a small log and attempted to roll her dirtied sleeves up. They would suit her well if she could find somewhere far enough to barter them off to.

She had traveled aimlessly, sending clones in various directions to be safe just in case either brothers were in a close enough vicinity. Thinking of the brothers had Sakura frowning. She oddly missed their company. _Perhaps not Madara's, but then again at least he was more tolerable than Izuna had been._

_Was being Senju really that bad?_

Sakura's face contorted and she snorted indignantly. Not that it mattered. She was free of them, and even the Senju brother's and their own deceitful behavior. Sakura couldn't fathom the amount of betrayal she had felt when she had found out of Hashirama's hand in her imprisonment with the Uchiha clan, but a rational part of her fought to understand why he made that choice, difficult or not.

Sakura sighed.

Her head was beginning to hurt and her body was sore from the nonstop travel.

She tucked her hands into the folds of the junihitoe uncomfortably so. Even though it was missing a few layers, the remaining layers were still heavy and unbearable in the heat. Glancing at the thinning tree line, she vaguely thought of delving deeper in the shaded woods, but reminded herself of her need to hit a main road to lead her to a village.

Trusting her plan, she skipped through the tree line and mindlessly scuffled until she found a break in the trees. Dipping onto the road, she scouted for any travelers before taking the route leading away from the direction she had come from.

The summer days were blending together and she couldn't stop her mind from doubling back to her encounters with the brothers. She _shouldn't _have trusted them. She _should _have fought them more. She _shouldn't _have let herself fall victim to being something other than herself- a prisoner and a liar.

Guilt washed over her, but she vaguely reminded herself that there was a _real princess hiding _from the Daimyo. In a sick and twisted turn of events, at least the real princess was safer with Sakura playing her role.

Sakura rubbed a tired palm over her face.

Yes, _safer._

Sakura frowned and continued on with her chakra extended in a safety net along her senses. As time wound on and the day wore on her, she eventually could hear mindless chatter in the distance and the bubbling clamor of horses. Stepping off the road, she slipped to the side to better assess the situation.

Dipping into the shade, she noted a small village of civilians. Their ragged, worn faces showing signs of too much sun exposure and their curved older spines telling of years bent over in the fields.

Sakura felt a thick wave of relief course through her. Yes, this had been what she was looking for.

She stepped back onto the beaten path and ducked her head to hide her face. She skirted along the edges of the village until a child pointed in her direction, small hand clutching onto her mother's brown kimono.

Sakura tipped her head slightly at the mother in a polite fashion, but offered no words as the woman picked up the small child and darted towards a small group of older villagers. _Village elders, perhaps. _Sakura studied the older woman of the group leaning around the mother to gauge Sakura. She stopped to allow the woman the option of approaching her instead of vice versa, but Sakura did not have to wait long until the old woman stammered over.

"What do ye need, ma'am?" The old woman crooned.

Sakura bowed her head politely. "I request the opportunity to barter my kimonos in trade for more practical clothing and supplies for travel, if I may."

Sakura waited beneath crusted painted lashes for the old woman to respond. The older woman assessed her for a long pregnant pause, and Sakura fought the urge to sigh in frustration.

"We don't have much to offer ye here, but we can give ye what we can." She beckoned Sakura forth and Sakura thanked her shyly.

She followed a decent distance away and the civilian farmers gathered in pockets. _All so nosey, _she thought with a small smile. It reminded her of home actually and her stomach churned.

Better not think of that.

She ducked under the mat of a hut and waited for the old woman to give her further instructions. The old woman paced the hut, grabbing various items- a small satchel, some plain kimonos, and a rag. The old woman waived a weathered hand over and Sakura came forward cautiously.

"Give me the top two layers of your junihitoe, ma'am."

Sakura sputtered, surprised the woman knew of the article of her clothing. Her weathered eyes twinkled. "We may be a poor farming community, but ye must know we are still cultured enough to know the significance."

Sakura bowed low in apology and slipped her obi loose to pull out the top two layers easier. Sakura smiled and offered her another layer. The old woman waived it off.

"Ye must understand we cannot afford much more."

"I do. Thank you." Sakura smiled.

Sakura handed over the two layers and watched as the woman lovingly stroked them. She reached up to her pins and tugged one loose and offered it to the woman.

"For some food, if I may bother you for some."

The old woman grabbed the hair pin, appraising it heavily with tired eyes and nodded. "I will see that yer belly is full tonight and that you have what you need to fill this satchel."

A silence spread between the two as the old woman packaged a few items into the satchel for Sakura. Sakura waited patiently while the woman worked. The old woman handed her the brown satchel first before a plain khaki kimono.

"Ye have such calloused hands for someone wearing such clothing." Sakura froze, dread crawling under her skin as the woman grabbed her wrist, wrinkled hands folding over the marks on her skin. "Ye are a working woman."

Sakura pulled her hand free and edged back to better study the woman.

"Ye may not have to worry of explaining ye's circumstances to me, but let me advise ye." The old woman's brown eyes flickered in mirth at Sakura's expense and Sakura tensed. "About a day's travel East, the farmers there are experiencing rogue thieves. They would be willing to barter far more than what we can offer here."

The twinkle in the old woman's eye was noticed by Sakura as she eagerly debated with herself on the trustworthiness of the woman. Sakura's lips pursed and she ran her tongue against the back of her teeth. This could easily be a trap, but what would this old woman gain from it? Sakura plagued herself mulling over the advice of the old woman as she fumbled with the satchel.

"Thank you." Sakura settled on, cautiously stepping away from the woman.

"There's a room to the back that ye may change in." The old woman crooned, rotten teeth clinking together.

Sakura gave a polite nod before excusing herself.

As she made her way through the dusty hut, she entered the small back room, pulling the mat away to dip in, and quickly changed. Fumbling with the layers of kimonos, she dared breathe a sigh of relief. The heat had been sweltering in the layers and having shed a few of them was beyond relaxing. Quickly though, not to be caught practically nude and unarmed, she drew up the kimono the woman gave her.

Should she go to the East? Could she take that risk?

Sakura chewed her lip.

Perhaps, but maybe she would be better to keep moving further away. She was still too close to the premises of the Uchiha and Senju, but considering how dense the forest was meant she would have to rely on her hunting and foraging skills more to feed herself. She frowned.

Not that she wasn't good at hunting or foraging.

She was quite able considering her years of tracking and service as a shinobi.

Just she preferred a warm bed and the luxury of finer foods on occasion. Konoha back in her time was abundant with cities and towns close to the wall of the village. She was always within a day or so of travel of a bath and bed. Fresh linen and warm water was always more relaxing than tree tops and scuffed sandals.

She sighed, hands clasping around the edges of her new kimono.

Sakura admitted to herself her typical spoiled behavior. It wasn't something she could afford right now. Keen eyes studied the satchel.

But that didn't mean she couldn't _work_ to afford herself some of those luxuries.

Even if trouble awaited her to the East, she could take care of herself. Hands fisting into her kimono, she smirked. Yes, she could. She was strong enough to survive thus far. Very little would stop her now.

Newfound determination pumping in her blood had Sakura eager to meet the day. Stuffing her junihitoe layers into the satchel, she headed back to the front of the hut to find the old woman speaking to an older gentleman. His hands were covered in soil and he had a small bag filled to the brim.

"Thank ye." The old woman said, taking the parcel from him.

The man bid her farewell and departed quickly enough. The old woman turned, bag in hand to smile fondly at Sakura. She extended the bag to her, and Sakura took the parcel from her.

"The farmer came with these for ye."

"Thank you. I can't express how much gratitude I have for your and your villagers' kindness." Sakura dipped her head, a small smile perched on her lips.

"Ye will do well to avoid heading South in yer travels." The old woman patted Sakura's shoulder warmly. "War amongst the shinobi clans has broken out over a princess. Ye may wish to avoid those parts."

Sakura nodded, throat tightening. "Yes, thank you."

The old woman nodded, a crooked smile parting the worn features of her face. "Ye may not be a princess, but ye would be easily mistaken."

Sakura gulped, fingers clutching to the parcel and the satchel tightly. The old woman laughed and waved her boney fingers.

"The princess is blonde, not that those fools would know the difference."

"Oh." Sakura blanched. She tried to recall what she had heard about the Daimyo's bride and frowned.

"She is safe, far from these lands, if ye are concerned." She barked with an empty heat.

Sakura frowned, tilting her head. "Then why warn me?"

The old woman paused, hands wrapping around her back as she leaned forward to study Sakura's face. Sakura, unashamed, leaned forward with narrowed eyes. Her shoulders tensed as she attempted to hold in the angry sneer.

"Ye should know men of power seek equal or greater power to gain for their own. Yer seal is proof enough."

Sakura's skin crawled and her hand reached up to brush her forehead lightly.

"But enough of that, ye must be prepared for more travel it seems."

"Yes, East it is then." Sakura mumbled, arm dropping to her side as she slung her bags up and over her shoulder.

The old woman paused in the doorway, holding up the mat for Sakura to cross. "Ye will make a legend of yer self if ye aren't careful."

Confused at the statement, Sakura pivoted on her foot to stare into the twinkling eyes of the old woman who smiled in response. Her gut twisted and she swallowed down her nerves to counter the woman's eyes.

"What do you mean?" Sakura drawled, teeth clenching.

"Ye will see."

Sakura couldn't part quick enough, the dust kicking up from her heels as she squirmed away from the all seeing eyes of the village elder. She skirted around the village, grabbing a pair of sandals from the woman carrying her child, dropping a hairpin into her other child's hands. She didn't stay to fill her belly and she didn't dare glance back lest she feel the old woman's words crawl up her spine.

Sakura wasn't sure what it meant to be a legend, but she was unsure if she was ready for it. All she knew was heading East seemed to be her best bet for now.

Eastbound was fairly quiet except for the growing unease swimming in her head. Sakura veered North slightly to avoid a throng of samurai on the main road, but swiftly wove around them as they crossed paths. She slept in the early morning when the birds chirping lulled her and she traveled at night with the looming moon as her light.

East was pleasant enough on the eyes, but she realized the old woman wasn't wrong when she spotted an encampment of burly men counting coins and slurring words over rice liquor. She watched them with careful scrutiny as they ate with sloppy mouths and dirtied hands. Sakura detested listening in as they divulged their latest conquests and pillaging. Their ragged hair muddy and uncombed.

Sakura sat in a tree, her kimono tight as she knelt closer in to better hear them, but as the liquor continued to pour, she leaned back. Their horror stories rang loud into cackles over their fire.

They were still two days out from the village apparently, but Sakura knew she would need to arrive much sooner to better gather weapons and perhaps a pair of pants more suitable to _stomping the shit out of their damned heads._

Sakura raised a delicate lip into a sneer and she darted along the treetops eager to ignore their cackling laughter. In her mind, their fates were sealed and she was dying to teach them a lesson they would surely never forget.

First, though, was engaging the village in need.

She approached the village in no time, warring through the night and most of the morning to arrive midday. She scouted the edges of the village, noting how many farmhouses and how much livestock grazed the land. It was a small village. Perhaps a population of thirty people, but judging how close the village sat both to the main road and a large pond told Sakura how important foot traffic was to the village.

It was cleaner than the village she bartered her kimono at and she hummed watching as the village children played in the shade of a few trees near a storage shed. Rubbing her eyes, she estimated the length of the village from the tree line to the main road. It would prove useful to know the ins and outs of the village prior to instigating any sort of mission.

Sakura's heart fluttered.

She could barely remember the last time she had been sent on an actual mission. It had been several months since she arrived in this ear, and longer since she was assigned formally. The war had proven to strip her of her originally shinobi duties, and she swallowed the knot in her throat. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest. She missed those times.

But this was proving to be promising and hopefully the village would accept her offer without so much as a fuss.

This was probably the closest she would get to another mission.

_Best not to fuck it up so soon either,_ she huffed.

Straightening her kimono and arranging the bags on her shoulders, she stepped onto the main road, her senses flaring about in a sort of net as a safety precaution. Walking into the village was fairly unnotable; however, her arrival struck many people as odd evidently. She could tell based on the open stares, the murmuring, and the pointing fingers.

Sakura blanched as some openly commented on her unnatural looks. Ignoring the tick in her jaw, she smiled as warmly as she could. She beckoned to an older farmer, his weathered skin pulling as he wobbled with his rake to her.

"Sir, I coming to speak to someone about offering my services-"

The man shook his head vigorously. "We aren't that kind of people."

"Sir," Sakura frowned. "I heard-"

"No, no. We don't accept those kinds of services." He interrupted again, anger seeping into his words as he attempted to shoo her off.

Sakura sighed. "I was told by a neighboring village that you are having trouble with thieves."

An idea struck her while he shook his head and she cocked her head to the side. The man frowned, his light weight shifting forward as he glanced over her. Remembering how the old woman studied her hand, she shifted her bags to one shoulder. She raised an eyebrow curiously before opening the hand to him. He grabbed at the appendage and turned it over to look. His fingers brushed over the hardened calluses of her hand and he peered at the light scars on her knuckles.

"To be clear, I think we're having some sort of confusion on _what kind of services _you're speaking of." Sakura chuckled.

He seemed embarrassed, dropping her hand as if it burned. His mouth pressed into a thin line and he waved off the comment. "I suppose so."

"What do you need done?"

He mulled over her words and nodded slowly before waving over a younger middle aged man, presumably his kin. The man came over, tousled hair and tan body gleaming in sweat as he swung his hoe to his shoulder.

"Kenshi, my son, can give you more details, but what do you seek to gain from this agreement?" The old man stated, scratching at the whiskers of his beard.

"I need some supplies and ones I am willing to barter for." She swung down her satchel and pulled out some layers of the junihitoe. "These should suffice as payment for some food and working clothes, correct?"

The old man wasted no time in inspecting the layers, dedicating loving strokes over the material. His nod was quick and he waved over another man. The farmer's son was not so tempted, but blatantly distrusting of her.

"We can offer that, but not much more in payment of coin." The old man chattered, pulling open the kimono delicately to memorize the intricate design.

"I will take what you can readily give." Sakura glanced around as some of the village folk began idolly staring. "Do you have any weapons- swords, daggers, knives?"

The younger man spoke. "How do we know _you_ can solve our bandit problem, little girl? For all we know, you could be a con artist or a ploy."

Her lips curled upwards in a sneer and she clicked her tongue at him. Swaying her head side to side, she looked around to gauge how best to display her so called _talents. _She saw a sturdy oak tree, the one where she had watched the children playing under.

Smiling, she nodded her head in its direction. "I can take down that tree in a single punch."

The men stopped to laugh, but her growing sneer had them freezing. Stomping over, she shooed the children away. Dropping her bags, she cracked a knuckle. Snorting, she made sure they were watching as she swung back to launch her closed fist at the tree.

Even without her chakra, the tree toppled in a heap, dust kicking up wildly and the ground vibrating as it crashed. She could hear the gasps of the villagers around her and she smacked her hands against her thighs to dust off her kimono.

"Believe me now?"

The rest had been painless and she wasn't questioned again.

The middle aged man had deposited a few knives in her possession and even drew a map of the village. Not that she needed it, having already studied the vicinity, but she happily took his advice.

The small group of bandits were a fraction of a larger group which traveled separately. The other group had not been heard of recently, but the five bandits plaguing their village had come every fortnight from the North end of the main road. They trampled the rice fields and robbed the nearby storage houses. Some of the bandits have recently taken to stealing from the homes outright, bullying the families into giving up the little money they earned from selling their vegetables and stealing their goods.

According to the villagers, they were coming up due for a visit based on the last appearance of the bandits. Sakura nodded, having seen the bandits camping close by. She was quick to bark orders then.

The first order of business was collecting the available farmers to discuss a method of alarming the villagers of an impending attack via certain flame signals and patterns. The second was to teach the younger men, and even some of the women, on how to defend themselves and escape basic holds. They weren't avid learners, but she drilled them for a couple hours to ensure they were able to hand themselves if caught alone. The third was to stake out the Northern end of the village as dusk settled in to set her traps.

Sakura gathered rope and shredded some kimono sleeves to make rags. She was keen on catching the bandits and disgracing their rotten faces to the villagers, as to give the villagers peace of mind. She had managed to barter a hair pin for some hakama pants and tucked the kimono into it, fastening the bottom of the hakamas to avoid the material from billowing.

Once night set in, Sakura scurried to the outskirts of the village and she quickly spotted the bandits arriving as predicted to the North end. Using the cover of the night, the pink haired vixen dropped by to the closest barn alerting the stable boy to raise the first fire signal. He lit the torch with wavering hands and shakily waved it twice before dousing the flame.

"Good, now go." Sakura shooed the boy away, still crouching in her hiding spot in the rafter.

She peered through a hole in the boards. Counting all the bandits, she swung the small knife in her hands. Patiently, she waited until the clamoring of the horse grew louder before cutting the rope. Sakura leapt down from the rafter in time to hear the cursing of the thieves and some thumping. The horse neighed, rearing up and stamping the ground. Dipping out, she nearly laughed as a few men were knocked from their horses by a log she had strung up.

In a flash, she raced to another storage house where she lit another torch waving it three times before dousing it. Waiting, she looked about for signs of a matching signal. When it came, she zipped outside and around the bandits as they tried to calm their horses. A few men cursed and spit, angry at being caught off guard, and the few on the ground were either knocked unconscious or nursing bloodied noses and broken ribs.

Cracking her knuckles loudly, she called, "Want to try that again?"

Before the thieves could spin about to see her, she raced to another storage shed and lit another signal. Finally, as the excitement lit in her belly, she rubbed her hand over her dark hakamas to form a few signs.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu."

Her identical clone puffed into existence and they nodded together. Her clone puffed away and she strung a chord connecting two storage sheds. She grabbed at it to stop the thrumming and waited for it to thrum again for the other shed.

Taking her sign, she managed to climb the building and peered over the rooftop at the thieves fighting.

"What the fuck?!"

"Did you see that?"

"Get up and let's cut these fucking mongrels!"

Sakura bit the inside of her cheek, warily eyeing the largest man who was grabbing the other bandits up off the soil, trying to shake one of them into consciousness. The horses were several feet away, having been scared, and she signed her fingers. Her clone appeared from beneath the ground, her signature pink hair just barely visible near the men when the clone lit a small smoke bomb.

The bandits jumped up, hacking into their arms as the smoke covered the near vicinity. Angling her knife, she chucked it. The largest thief hollered, grabbing his elbow as it shot past him into the foot of the thief he was grappling with.

She chucked another knife into a thief's hand as he felt along the earth trying to find his discarded gear. He yelped and the remaining two conscious thieves scrambled to get away. Her clone reached up from the ground, grabbing their ankles. The two fell knocking their heads together in a coughing fit. The horses bucked and fled. Their hooves kicked up more dirt and soil.

Sakura wrapped a loose rope around her forearm and began making quick work of tying the thieves together under the cover of the smoke bomb as her matching clone dragged them together.

As the smoke began thinning, Sakura spit out, "Don't you dare come back here."

The largest thief with a thick scar covering his face struggled against her, but with her arms locking the rope tight with a squeeze, he squirmed uncomfortably. "We'll be back! And I'll carve that pretty little face up!"

Sick laughter peeled from her lips and she grabbed at his flexing hands. With a snap, she broke his wrist and stroked each finger lovingly before breaking those as well. The large thief cried out and he thrashed violently. She crouched further down to grab at his flailing legs before snapping his ankles, the bone crunching as twisted it.

"You won't be able to do much." Sakura teased with a smile.

"You fucking pink haired-" his response was cut short as she crushed his kneecap with a sneer.

The remaining thieves cried despite their burly features as her clone rounded on them with the same disheartening behavior. She made quick work of clearing away their supplies and gear. As her clone dispersed, she tossed the items into a far pile before waiving the stable boy and Kenshi over.

"They're yours to deal with, but I doubt they'll harm you all anytime soon."

The stable boy nodded, fear and discomfort obvious in his closed posture. Kenshi nodded, his arms wrapped folded across his chest.

"What is your name?" He asked, bland eyes darting to inspect the petite woman.

"Sakura."

He nodded, scratching at his forearm absentmindedly as she patted his shoulder.

"In the main storage head at the West end of the village, you will find your belongings and supplies. That should hopefully be enough." He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she turned to stare at his warming eyes. "You are more than welcome to stay the rest of the evening."

"Not unless you need me to." Sakura sighed with a small smile.

"No," he released her to stare at the wailing group of thieves. "But I will tell you we have had travelers from a small village just half a day Northeast of here who have encountered the rest of this fraction."

Sakura turned, interested in the development of information. "Yes?"

"I will send word to tell by messenger bird. I'm sure they would appreciate your services and payment would be reciprocated equally."

Sakura chuckled and folded her arms across her chest. With a polite nod, she departed for her belongings, finding them exactly where he had described with a small sack of coins. Her other satchel was replaced with a bigger carrier bag containing her kimonos and food. She ran an excited hand through her long locks and stretched.

And so she departed the small farming village to investigate.

She entrapped the remaining fraction similar to how she had done the first part and found herself being hired for small meaningful tasks around the Northeastern village. She took on several assignments for this village, plagued with tasks similar to her version of D rank missions, but she couldn't find it within herself to decline.

The village the farmers had alerted her of was slightly more well off with blacksmiths and tradesmen making her task of gathering forged weapons easier. They were a friendly bunch, practically scared witless considering how often they were on the receiving end of the thieves' robberies and were much more grateful in her aid.

Thumbing the small knives she had collected in the sleeve of her kimono, Sakura clicked her tongue. It reminded her of a time when it was soothing to finger the kunai in Konoha when she patrolled the streets.

Yes, she definitely was feeling like her old self again.

Rumors of another bandit group haunting the Northeast villages spread to her ears just off the main road the next morning and Sakura found herself in demand once again. She had traveled quickly to the neighboring village, a kind tip from a farmer in the first Eastern village, and after speaking to several of the village leaders, she surmised that a week's worth of wages would suffice to get rid of the rest of the bandits.

The village elders had been pleased and eager to offer her supplies and money. She took more of the supplies than the money, politely declining the need for anything other than food and a few pieces of clothing, but they were adamant. She smiled, accepting the small pouch of coins with the promise of returning the bandits stolen goods.

Finding the bandits had been easy. They sat similarly to the original group she had encountered at the first village around a small clearing, horses tied to low branches and their slop cooking over an evening fire. They were so engorged in their stories and their liquor that a stampede of wild boar wouldn't budge them.

"Hah! Kukotsu, did you see the way that old bag cried when you grabbed her chest?" The closest drunk laughed, his liquor sloshing over the rim of his cup.

"It was saggy and disgusting!" The other barked, his broken tooth smirk gleaming over the fire.

The man cackled and his buddies around him hollered in excitement. "I can't wait to see what the next one has for us! You think they'll have more coin or more pussy?"

The group hooted again and raised their cups.

The group was just shy of ten men strong, and Sakura felt her blood boil as she studied them. Her sense of duty hit her hard and she bit down the urge to pummel them. She could take them out now, but that would mean she couldn't barter her services as easily. A silent sigh left her and she leapt from her vantage point to another tree before spotting a few decent sized stones and pebbles. She quickly dropped down to pick them up, weighing their size in the palm of her hands.

Under the cover of the trees, she zipped back up. Smiling once settled into the higher perch, she flicked a stone. The stone crashed thru the bottle of liquor the one gloating man was holding. His laughter quieted and they all attempted to jump up. Heads spinning about, she held in her own chuckle at the bewildered faces which spanned the surrounding forest.

"Who is out there?! Come out now!" He yelled, daggers now lifted from their holsters as he dropped the broken bottle.

She quietly leapt to another tree at the opposite end of the camp, careful not to rustle the leaves. She flattened her body on the branch and flicked anotiher stone hard enough to spill the entire pot of slop from over the fire. The fire blazed to life and the bandits spun around.

"Stop playing!" One barked, edging closer to his companion.

Sakura pursed her lips and blew out, the whistle howling lightly in the evening breeze. She smiled widely as they muttered amongst themselves, eyes darting uncomfortably into the darkness of the forest.

"Go check it out, Kukutosu." The one man pushed, shoving his palm into the back of the younger man.

"No! Why don't you?"

They argued for a minute before the younger man was pushed forth, his legs barely able to hold him up in his drunken stupor. He dared to edge to the tree line, glancing about quickly with quaking knees and he spun around when she flung a pebble from another tree.

"No one is out here-"

"Keep looking!"

The man fumbled through the bushes a few times, stumbling over his own drunken feet as he attempted to spot their assailant.

"There's no one here-"

Skirting around, she waited several minutes for the fools to work themselves into a tizzy. Flicking a few more stones, she broke a few more cups and spilled their food. She whistled here and there, hoping to stir the bandits into motion. Sakura played with them like this for a bit before they all sat in a circle, backs facing toward each other. Their teeth were chattering, drinks long forgotten on the forest floor.

The largest man, a burly middle aged man began shushing them.

"Is it an omen?" One bandit probed.

"Don't get ahead of yourselves." The burly man yelled, hands fisting in his rugged hakamas.

_An omen,_ Sakura thought, bouncing a large stone in her palm while leaning forward on her branch. _Or a legend._

"You know," one bandit spoke in a hushed tone, his body shaking violently as he held his sword close to his chest. "There's a growing rumor of a legend of this forest."

One bandit shot the man a dirty look. "It's a legend, you idiot."

"No, no!" He tried again, vigorously shaking his head. "There's a legend of a pixie who haunts these lands."

"Oh, dear Kami, there's no such things as damned pixies." Another growled.

The man who skirted the edges of the forest jumped up. "I think I saw it!"

The men turned simultaneously to glare at him.

"No, seriously! It was a flash of pink in the trees!" He attempted to draw in the air, arms exaggerated sizing and shapes.

"You said you saw nothing." The burly man snapped.

The younger bandit shrunk and stubbed his toe into the ground. "I didn't see it entirely."

Sakura damn well near laughed. Her head bobbed as she clutched the stone in the palm of her hand tightly, chest rising and falling dramatically. _Definitely not the kind of legend I thought I'd be._

Sakura sighed as the men continued to argue and she feigned disinterest as she smoothed her hand over the stone. Perhaps, becoming a legend wouldn't be terrible, but definitely not of being a pixie.

"Do you think it's like that boy who collects hearts?"

Sakura froze, her spine snapping to attention. She zeroed in on the conversation again, stone forgotten in her lap. Leaning against the bark of the tree, she narrowed her vision in on the thief rubbing his arms awkwardly.

"Pfft. Don't be ridiculous." The bandit snorted. "No pixies collect hearts."

"But- that boy!" The boyish man cried, theoretically waving his limbs about. "They say he has more than one!"

"No man can have more than one heart." The bandits chuckled, but the small crowd grew eerily quiet.

"I've heard he has tentacles that rip it right from you." One pitched, back shaking violently as he leaned close to his companion.

The other gulped, throat bobbing in response. "I heard he eats them to prolong his life."

Sakura ran her knuckles over the harsh bark to ground herself. Dread sank in her stomach and her mouth grew dry. It couldn't be-

"I heard his name was Kakuzu."

* * *

**A.N:** Long chapter with no mention of our beloved love interests, but this is important. I wanted Sakura to feel more like herself and to recognize her strengths. I wouldn't say I did the best job of portraying this, but I wanted to show a shift in her character besides her stockholm syndrome. I want her to make a legend of herself here, but that's in the making.

Don't worry though! The Uchiha and Senju aren't too far behind! Happy readings, my friends!


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